Funding Opportunities for Year Out Research
Research and Fellowship Opportunities for Penn Med Students
Keep in mind when using this site:
Current information is listed on the website when available; however, many programs do not disseminate new information until early Fall. Interested students are encouraged to contact the funding agency directly for more information later in the fall.
Each of these categories includes fellowships which are reviewed at Penn and those that are externally reviewed. Penn Reviewed indicates that applications will go through an internal review process prior to being submitted to the funding institution. Read the program summary carefully to determine where your application should be sent. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Combined Degree office.
Although summary information is provided below, it is essential that students who do apply for funding carefully review the guidelines provided by the program itself, in order to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria and are fully aware of all requirements.
Note that if you apply for a fellowship that requires an "Official Signing for the Institution," your application will need to go through research services. Plan ahead: this is a two week process, and you will need the help of your mentor's Business Administrator or this office.
In addition to the funding sources listed, some mentors may also have funding available through their laboratory resources.
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By pressing the control key and the letter 'f' at the same time you can search the site by keyword.
Year Long Opportunities
| American australian Association |
The American Australian Association will award up to four fellowships to Americans doing research at the graduate level. Applicants must conduct a well-defined research project in medicine, life sciences, engineering, or mining. There will be particular interest in the fields of stem cell research and oceanography/marine sciences. Each Fellowship award is up to $20,000, which will support part of the costs of one year of research in Australia and includes flight allowances between the U.S. and Australia. For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.americanaustralian.org/Educational/usa-australia.php. |
| Externally Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: October 31 annually |
| American Diabetes Association - CLINIcal Scholars Award |
These awards provide one year of research support to medical students interested in clinical and basic science diabetes research. Awards are $30,000 a year for one year. Applicants may request up to $20,000 for the student’s stipend and up to $10,000 for tuition and lab expenses. Funding begins in July. For more information and to apply, visit http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-research/research-grant-application-forms/training-awards.jsp#medical. |
| Externally Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: January 15, 2008 |
| American Heart Association Pre-Doctoral Fellowship |
The Fellowship has been designed to help a student initiate a career in cardiovascular research by providing research assistance and training. Supported research includes that broadly related to cardiovascular function and diseases, stroke, or to related basic science, clinical, behavioral and public health problems. Eligible participants include MD students seeking research training with a sponsor/mentor prior to embarking on a research career. The Fellowship's duration is one to two years, with a stipend support of $21,000.00 per year. For more information and to apply, visit http://www.americanheart.org, or call the Great Rivers Affiliate Office at (410) 637-4539. |
| Externally Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: January 16, 2008 |
| CANCER AND RADIATION BIOLOGY RESEARCH TRAINING GRANT |
The Cancer and Radiation Biology Research Training Grant, an NIH T32 training grant through the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine’s Department of Radiation Oncology, provides a focused perspective and state-of-the-art research training in cancer biology and aspects of cancer treatment to predoctoral graduate (Penn Med) students and postdoctoral fellows. The grant provides the opportunity to do both lab/translational and clinical research projects. Students are expected to commit to full-time research training with a minimum one year commitment. The grant provides a stipend and health insurance. Positions generally start in the summer but start times are negotiable. Interested individuals should contact Dr. Gary Kao to apply. For more information, click here. |
| Penn Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: May 1 of every year. However, applications will be accepted and considered on a continuing basis for open positions. All interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact Dr. Kao throughout the year. |
| Centers for disease control (Cdc) fellowship in applied epidemiology |
Funded by a grant from Pfizer Inc, The CDC Experience: Applied Epidemiology Fellowship at CDC provides medical students with an applied hands-on training experience in epidemiology and public health. Eight competitively selected medical students from around the country who are completing their second or third year of medical school will spend up to one full year at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. While at CDC, with the guidance of experienced CDC epidemiologists, they carry out epidemiologic analyses in areas such as birth defects, injury, chronic disease, infectious disease, environmental health, reproductive health and minority health. By gaining an in-depth perspective of the role epidemiology plays in protecting the health and safety of both individuals and entire populations, The CDC Experience graduates will be better prepared to pursue careers in clinical medicine, clinical epidemiology, health services research, preventive medicine and public health. They will have the potential to become future physician leaders and to substantially contribute to the quality of the health care system. For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.cdcfoundation.org/thecdcexperience. |
| Externally Reviewed |
| Application deadline: December 3, 2007 |
| CHOP Orthopaedics Medical Student Clinical Research Award |
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Division of Orthopaedics is offering a medical student the opportunity to dedicate a year to complete clinical research projects with CHOP orthopaedic surgeons before either the third or fourth year of medical school. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to develop research projects with any members of the faculty in CHOP’s Division of Orthopaedics; however, the funded year-long experience will be supervised by Dr. John M. Flynn. Students are eligible to apply for this award if they are currently completing their second or third year of medical school. Additionally, the student must be in good academic standing and must have an interest in pursuing a career in Orthopaedic Surgery. The recipient of this award will receive a $20,000 stipend for one year. For more information, click here and to apply, visit: http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/ortho/opportunities.php#MEDICAL. |
| Penn Reviewed |
| Application deadline: March 1, 2008 (However, they recommend submitting the application as soon as possible, as applications will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis.) |
| Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowships |
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) sponsors a program which allows students to take a year out to receive didactic and hands on clinical research training. The DDCF currently funds clinical research training programs at twelve institutions: Penn, Columbia, Harvard, UCSF, University of Iowa, University of North Carolina, University of Texas - Southwestern, Wash U., Mt. Sinai, Yale, University of Pittsburgh and Johns Hopkins. Each institution is committed to offering at least five fellowships. This year six institutions (including Penn) will have additional opportunities for international fellowships. Penn will have two international fellowships in Botswana. The stipend for each Fellow is $27,000 per year with additional funds for research-related expenses. The DDCRF website includes links to the application form and the Penn DDCRF website provides more detailed information. |
| Penn Reviewed |
| Application deadline: January 16, 2008 |
| FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CLINICAL RESEARCH SCHOLARS PROGRAM in Global Health and Clinical Research |
The NIH's Fogarty International Center offers one-year fellowships for students interested in pursuing careers in public health and clinical research. The program features mentored clinical research training at top-ranked NIH-funded research centers in developing countries, including Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, China, Haiti, India, Kenya, Mali, Peru, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, and Zambia. Fellowship stipends will be approximately $18,000-$20,000 per year (adjusted to cost of living expenses at the foreign site) with an additional $6,000 per year for travel, insurance, and educational materials. Training begins in July of each year. The application will be available in July. For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/overseasfellowship/start.htm#research. |
| Externally Reviewed |
| Application deadline: December 14, 2007 |
| FOCUS on Health & Leadership for Women's Medical Student Fellowships for Penn Med Students |
FOCUS on Health & Leadership for Women, a School of Medicine program in Penn's Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), invites applications for two women's health experiences, the FOCUS Medical Student Fellowship in Women's Health and the Bertha Dagan Berman Award in Women's Health. These initiatives offer men and women medical students funding for 6 months to work full-time with a faculty mentor conducting clinical or basic science research or participating in a community-based program centered around issues of women's health. Students have the option to work with a faculty member actively engaged in women's health research or to work in a community-based agency providing women's health related services, also under the guidance of a faculty mentor. More information is available at http://www.focusprogram.org/StudentFellowships.html or by contacting Pat Scott. |
| Penn Reviewed |
| Deadline: June 4, 2007 |
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Training Programs
HHMI offers two research training programs: one for research conducted at the NIH-Cloister facilities and one for research conducted at any other institution in the United States. Students may apply simultaneously to both programs. Both are externally reviewed. Students may apply simultaneously to other NIH fellowships, as well.
| HHMI-NIH Research Scholars Program (Cloister Program) |
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute-National Institutes of Health (HHMI-NIH) Research Scholars Program enables medical and dental students to spend 9 to 12 months conducting basic, translational, or applied biomedical research in one of the laboratories on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. The program includes rental housing for all Scholars together on the NIH campus and student selection of preceptor and research project after arrival in Bethesda. Scholars will receive annual compensation of $27,000, health insurance, and other benefits. HHMI offers approximately forty students the opportunity to participate in the Program after completing the second or third year of medical school, but this time frame is flexible. The emphasis of the research is on genetics, immunology, cell biology, neuroscience, structural biology and epidemiology & biostatistics. Upon the completion of the Fellowship students can apply for a second year at the NIH. After the conclusion of the program, a small number of students will be selected to receive continued support of up to two years while completing studies toward the M.D. degree. Scholars must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. The application will be available online in the summer. For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.hhmi.org/cloister. |
| Application Deadline: January 10, 2008 at 2 p.m. |
| HHMI Research Training Fellowships for Medical Students Program (Medical fellows program) |
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Training Fellowships for Medical Students Program enables medical and dental students from U.S. schools to spend a year conducting basic, translational, or applied biomedical research at any school or non-profit research institution in the U.S., except at the NIH in Bethesda, MD. Approximately 60 awards will be made annually. The stipend is $27,000 plus $5,500 that may be used for health care and other expenses and a $5,500 research allowance. Upon completion of the fellowship, a small number of students may be selected to continue research for a second year. In addition, a few students may be selected to receive continued fellowship support for up to two years toward completing the M.D. degree. All students considering applying for this fellowship should contact Dr. Celeste Simon, HHMI investigator at Penn and former member of the fellowship review panel. She is an excellent source of advice on mentorship selection and the application process. For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.hhmi.org/grants/individuals/medfellows.html |
| Application Deadline: January 11, 2008 |
| Lindbergh Foundation Grants - Health and Biomedical Research |
Each year, the Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation provides grants of up to $10,580 (a symbolic amount representing the cost of the "Spirit of St. Louis") to men and women whose individual initiative and work in a wide spectrum of disciplines furthers the Lindberghs' vision of a balance between the advance of technology and the preservation of the natural/human environment. Lindbergh Grants are made in the following categories: agriculture; aviation/aerospace; conservation of natural resources - including animals, plants, water, and general conservation (land, air, energy, etc.); education - including humanities/education, the arts, and intercultural communication; exploration; health - including biomedical research, health and population sciences, and adaptive technology; and waste minimization and management. A Jonathan Lindbergh Brown Grant may be given to a project to support adaptive technology or biomedical research which seeks to redress imbalance between an individual and his or her human environment. The deadline for grant applications is the second Thursday of June in the year preceding the awarding of funds. For example, for funding beginning in July of 2008, applications are due June 14, 2007. All applicants receive notification of final selections by April 15 of each funding year. Grants are released in July. For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.lindberghfoundation.org/grants/index.html. |
| Penn Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: The second Thursday of June in the year preceeding the awarding of funds. |
| NIDDK Medical Student Research training Program (MSRT) |
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) provides 9 - 12 month fellowships to two medical students at Penn to conduct basic science and translational research at Penn in diabetes, endocrine and metabolic diseases, hematology, renal disease, gastroenterology, or urology.. Medical students in good standing who have completed at least two years of medical school and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents may apply. The stipend is $19,968 for a full year. In addition, $2,200 for research support and $1,000 for travel to scientific meetings will be allowed. It is expected that mentors will be selected from those already participating in these training programs. There is a two-part application process: 1) selection of the top two candidates by Penn's NIDDK MSRT advisory committee and 2) final decision on funding by NIDDK. Up to 4 students from Penn may be supported. No more than 2 students may be supported by the same grant area. Completed applications are due to the Combined Degree Office, 104 Stemmler. More information on potential mentors and the application process, including specific grant areas, is available here. |
| Penn Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: March 15th annually |
| NIH Pre-Doctoral Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) |
Pre-Doctoral Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) fellowships are designed to augment the educational preparation and development of future scientists by supporting a period of research at the NIH. Students currently enrolled and attending graduate or medical school are eligible. Stipend levels for participants will be determined by the amount of education completed by the candidate at the time the award is activated. Applicants may apply directly to a specific institute or to the NIH Office of Education. The following application materials are required of all candidates: A complete C.V.; proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency; three letters of recommendation emphasizing research potential; a cover letter stating research goals and the type and purpose of the training desired; and an official copy of college, graduate, or medical school transcripts. Graduate students must have written permission from their institution in order to participate in the IRTA program. Candidates who have been accepted into graduate school or medical school who wish to delay matriculation in order to participate in the IRTA program as well as students currently enrolled in graduate or medical school who seek an interim research experience must also obtain permission from their institution. More info is available at http://www.training.nih.gov/student/Pre-IRTA/previewinterim.asp, or via e-mail to Dec@helix.nih.gov. |
| Externally Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: Rolling |
| NIH Clinical Research Training Program (CRTP) for Medical and Dental Students |
The Clinical Research Training Program (CRTP) is a year-long opportunity for medical and dental students to do mentored clinical or translational research in an area that matches their personal interests and goals at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. CRTP scholars are expected to live in NIH facilities, which are leased, furnished apartments adjacent to the NIH campus. Scholars attend formal and informal meetings with one another and with leading clinical investigators at NIH. Upon arriving, each scholar is assigned to an advisor who helps with mentor selection. The program begins in July or August. Third year medical students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible. The stipend is $29,400. Health insurance and moving costs are provided. For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.training.nih.gov/crtp/index.asp |
| Externally Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: January 15, 2008. |
| NIH Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research for underrepresented minority students |
African-American, Hispanic/Latino and Native American students are eligible. This program allows faculty members who hold specific, commonly held types of NIH research grants to request additional money to fund an underrepresented minority student for a research experience that is an integral part of the parent grant. A three to four page research description must be submitted, along with additional documentation, to the institute which funds the parent grant. The proposal must be submitted at least eight weeks prior to the start date of the project. Funds may be requested for a short term or long term projects. See the information on the NIH website for complete details, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/pa-05-015.html, or drop by the Combined Degree Office. |
| Penn Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: Rolling |
| Neurobiology of Otorhinolaryngology: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders |
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has recently awarded a Training Grant to the University of Pennsylvania called the "Neurobiology of Otorhinolaryngology." One component of this award will fund two medical students for a year-long research experience for each of the next five academic years (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007). The research training can be obtained in any laboratory of the 23 training faculty sponsoring the grant, and is concerned with the neuroscience aspects of Hearing Science, Vestibular Science, and the Chemical Senses. Within these sensory areas, research can be undertaken on topics in cell biology/membrane biophysics, molecular biology/molecular genetics, systems neuroscience, human/animal behavior, and neuroengineering/neuromodeling. All medical students interested in sensory neuroscience are invited to apply. The award carries a one-year stipend of $19,968 including health coverage. There is flexibility in the start time which nominally begins July 1. Applicants should submit a current CV, statement of interest, and three letters of recommendation to Michael Ruckenstein, M.D. (215-662-6017 or mjrucken@mail.med.upenn.edu). |
| Penn Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: June 1 |
| Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation (PhRMA)- Paul Calabresi Medical Student Research Fellowship |
The PhRMA fellowship is offered to medical or dental students who have substantial interests in research and teaching careers in pharmacology, and who are willing to spend full-time in a specific research effort within a pharmacology or clinical pharmacology unit. Fellowships are available for a minimum period of six months, or any period of time up to 24 months with a maximum stipend of $18,000. The program offers funding of up to $1,500 per month. The commitment must be full-time. Awards may be activated beginning January 1st or on the first day of any month thereafter, up to and including August 1st. The student may undertake this investigative effort at his/her own school or at another institution. For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.phrmafoundation.org/awards/clinical/medstudent.php |
| Externally Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: September 1st annually |
| Special Study Experience in Anatomic Pathology or Laboratory Medicine for Penn Med Students |
The Special Study Experience in Anatomic Pathology or Laboratory Medicine provides students an opportunity to expand their knowledge of anatomic pathology or laboratory medicine (clinical pathology) in a working fellowship which includes research and independent study. The structure of the fellowship year is somewhat flexible to permit the student to tailor the program to his or her interests. Applicants must have satisfactorily completed the basic medicine and surgery clinical rotations. The student-fellow will earn $27,000 which may be taken as a monthly stipend during the fellowship year or may be issued at the end of the year as a fellowship award to be applied towards the following year's medical school tuition. In addition, the program covers student fees and health insurance, and provides for travel to a national meeting if the student will be presenting his or her research. In the Anatomic Pathology Special Study Experience, the student-fellow spends at least three months on the autopsy service and three months on the surgical pathology service. Responsibilities are similar to those of a first year resident. Additionally, three months of the fellowship are devoted to the investigation of a problem in disease etiology and diagnosis under staff guidance. The Special Expanded Study Experience in Laboratory Medicine is spent in one to three of the major laboratories (Chemistry, Coagulation, Hematology, Blood Bank, Tissue Typing Immunology, or Microbiology) within the Division of Laboratory Medicine. Usually, the student-fellows rotate through two of these service areas and then spend six months in intensive research and study in a third area. Each student-fellow meets with the Advisory Committee to arrange a program that is most consistent with his/her specialized interests and goals. Contact: Cindy McGrath, M.D. |
| Penn Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: Flexible. Students are encouraged to submit an application between Dec. and Feb. of the year before the fellowship year. |
| Stanley J. Sarnoff Fellowship in Cardiovascular Research |
The Stanley J. Sarnoff Fellowship in Cardiovascular Research affords medical students, who have completed their second or third year, the opportunity to spend a full twelve month period in an area of research related to cardiovascular disease at an institution other than their home institution. Up to 20 fellowships are awarded each year, nationally. Fellows receive a stipend of $27,500 and additional research-related funds. A faculty member from the School of Medicine functions as the advisor for our student(s), and in this role, works to identify an optimal research project and monitor progress. All fellows are expected to make a presentation of their research at the Sarnoff Annual Scientific Meeting . Fore more info. and to apply, visit: http://www.sarnofffoundation.org/program/information.cfm. |
| Externally Reviewed |
| Application Deadline: January 9, 2008 |

