The Division of Orthopaedics at Children’s Hosptial of Philadelphia (CHOP) funds a select number of Medical Career Design (MCD) Fellowships to allow recent college graduates the opportunity to explore any aspects of a medical career — research, clinical practice, education, advocacy and leadership.
Program at a Glance
The central aspects of the MCD fellow’s work will be coordinating and facilitating clinical research including:
- Subject recruitment
- IRB submissions and renewals
- Data analysis/manuscript preparation
- Monitoring/maintaining data for study group databases and multicenter registries
This will include training in research ethics, research subject protections, clinical science study design, methodology, data analysis and statistical methodology.
Successful MCD fellows will have opportunities to co-author medical journal submissions and are encouraged to present results at regional and national meetings. Through this immersive experience, the MCD fellow will learn how to initiate, design, complete and communicate clinical research.
Each week, MCD fellows will work in our clinics as a scribe, helping our attending physicians with patient visits by populating medical records. The scribe role offers the MCD fellow unique front-line physician shadowing role in performing a history and physical exam, interpreting image and lab data, and formulating clinical decisions.
This daily exposure — over time — allows the MCD fellow to develop a significant font of medical knowledge, grow confident in the patient-care setting, and gain insights into managing the challenges of a busy and complex clinical practice.
Educational Opportunities
Medical Career Design fellows will be immersed in our educational programs. They are encouraged to attend:
- Daily lectures
- Weekly case-review conferences
- Research conferences
- A quarterly journal club
Each year, CHOP hosts Visiting Professor events that fellows are invited to attend. The daily interactions with faculty, medical students, residents and clinical fellows offer many educational and career exploration opportunities.
One of the key aspects of the MCD fellowship is mentorship by nationally recognized academic physicians. The weekly interactions between MCD fellows and faculty — in clinic work rooms, at research meetings, in conferences and at social events — offers many opportunities for faculty to coach and mentor MCD fellows.
Faculty will be able to confidently write letters of recommendation that are rich in detail about the MCD fellow’s research accomplishments and extensive clinical exposure, and advocate for the fellows as they navigate their rigorous medical school application process.
Upon arrival, each MCD fellow will be assigned a faculty mentor, with whom they will meet with periodically to discuss the design of their medical research.
Eligibility
MCD fellow applicants will be completing a BA/BS degree, pre-medical and commit for two gap years between college and medical school. The student must be in good academic standing and have an interest in pursuing a career in Orthopaedic Surgery. The successful applicant will be responsible, motivated, intellectually curious and independent. An MCAT score, biostatistics training and research experience are strongly valued, but not mandatory.
Stipend and Benefits
Each fellow will be provided an annual stipend of $40,000 in year one and $45,000 in year two, and will be provided with up to $5,000 of travel support annually to attend and participate in scientific presentations as regional and national meetings. A minimum two-year commitment is required. Fellows will also receive 12 vacation days per year in addition to CHOP-designated national holidays.
Start and End Dates
Each fellow’s official start date will be determined by the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at the time of receiving an offer. The start date will be no later than June 15, 2023, with the exception of students enrolled in late spring or summer coursework. The official start date may be within two weeks of college graduation to facilitate the transition between incoming and outgoing MCD fellows. The fellowship will culminate no earlier than June 30, two years after inception.
How to Apply
To apply, please submit the following:
- Cover letter
- Undergraduate transcript
- Curriculum vitae
- MCAT score (if applicable)
- Your earliest available start data
Applications should be emailed to: Research Manager Divya Talwar, PhD, at talward@chop.edu.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis through April 1, 2023. Interviews will be required as part of the selection process.
Learn more about the Medical Career Design Fellowship
