BIRCWH Prospective Scholars

What does it mean to be a BIRCWH scholar?

  • Scholars receive salary support (up to $100,000 inclusive of fringe), and up to $20,000 for research, for two years with a possible third year dependent on review and need.
  • Mentorship regarding inclusion of sex or gender as a biological factor in research, study design, and statistical analyses is provided to BIRCWH Scholars through the Program.
  • Scholars will attend seminars, yearly NIH BIRCWH Scholar’s meeting, and the Penn BIRCWH Retreat.

Eligibility

  1. Departmental commitment to two years of 75% (50% for surgical specialties) protected research time with a conditional third year based on need and performance.

  2. United States citizen or permanent resident.

  3. Research areas of interest can be basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, or health services research that relate to women’s health and/or sex differences.

  4. Hold a PhD or its equivalent (e.g., MD, DO, DDS, DVM, OD, DC, PharmD) and have no more than 6 years of research or research training experience beyond their last doctoral degree.

  5. At the time of appointment, scholars must be faculty at the rank of Assistant Professor, Assistant Research Scientist, or Instructor from any one of the Penn Schools, Centers or Institutes. For senior post-doctoral fellow applicants, a letter from the department chair indicating commitment to support a faculty position (research track, etc) at the time of grant funding is necessary to be included with the application.

  6. Applicants must not be or have been a PD/PI on a R01, R29 or subproject of a Program Project (P01), Center, (P50, P30, P60, P20, U54) grant, independent mentored career development (K series) grants or other equivalent research grant awards, except for R03 or R21.

  7. Be able to spend 75% (50% for surgical-specialties) of full-time professional effort conducting research and research career development activities as a BIRCWH K12 scholar. Department or School must provide evidence that the scholar has or will be given adequate research space and all appropriate infrastructure support to complete research projects successfully.

Application Deadline

We are not currently accepting applications for BIRCWH scholars.

For information about applications, contact BIRCWH Program Manager Arden McAllister at Arden.McAllister@pennmedicine.upenn.edu