Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Application Instructions & FAQs

Overview

This page provides instructions for the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) Clinical Research Fellowship Program. The online application must be submitted by January 6, 2010.

Read the general FAQs about the program before starting to prepare your application for helpful guidance on questions about the program and eligibility, as well as information for students who are considering applying to schools at which they are not matriculated. All complete application packages must include the following seven components (the first six items are the same for each school, while the seventh varies by school):

1. Online Application Form

Complete all sections of the online application form, which requests the following information:

• Your contact information
• Education history
• Areas of clinical research you are interested in during the fellowship year
• Schools to which you are applying (this information will be released to all schools you apply to)
• Names and e-mails of medical school dean and faculty submitting letters of support
• Descriptions of prior research experience, if applicable

You will be able to visit the 2010-11 application website and work on the online application as many times as needed before submitting the final version on January 6, 2010. The site will open in early November.

2. Letter from the Dean

Request the letter of support from your Dean well in advance of the application deadline. The references you list on the online application form will receive an e-mail from ddcfcrf@aibs.org and will be asked to submit their letters of support through the online DDCF application system by January 6, 2010. Some schools request specific information about you in the Dean's letter, so please check each school's additional requirements before requesting the letter from your Dean.

3. Letters of Support

Request letters of support (2) from your references well in advance of the deadline. The references you list on the online application form will receive an e-mail from ddcfcrf@aibs.org and will be asked to submit their letters of support through the online DDCF application system by January 6, 2010. Because some schools have specific requirements for letters of support, it is advisable to check each school's additional requirements before requesting the letters.

4. Personal Statement

You will need to upload a personal statement (PDF) to submit your application. Your statement should contain a description of a) your reasons for undertaking clinical research; b) your plans for future professional or graduate education as well as your long-term career plans; and c) your current research interests, and the areas or questions that you would like to explore through the fellowship. (Limit to 1.5 pages, 12pt. font)

5. Curriculum Vitae

You will need to upload a copy of your CV (PDF) to submit your application. (Limit to 2 pages, 12pt font.) View a CV example (62 KB PDF).

6. Medical School Transcript

Request your medical school transcript well in advance of the deadline. You will need to upload a copy (PDF) to submit with your online application.

7. Additional School Requirements

In addition to the materials submitted online, which include the application form, letters of support, personal statement, CV, and transcript, some of the indvidual participating schools require additional materials. Please visit the relevant school websites for exact details.

Application FAQs

When is the deadline for application materials?
The deadline to submit completed applications is January 6, 2010. You can edit your online application (including the form and the uploads of the personal statement, CV, and transcript) as many times as needed before this deadline, but the online application site will be closed at midnight (eastern time) on the deadline. In addition, your dean and references must submit their letters of support through the online DDCF application system by the deadline.

Will applications be accepted after the application deadline?
Some schools will accept additional supporting materials after the deadline. It is recommended that you contact each school concerning these requirements.

Will I be notified when my references complete the requested letters of support?
Once you provide the names of the Dean and references who will write letters of support on your academic performance and potential for clinical research, they will appear in your application with a red x beside their entry. After the indicated person has submitted the required letter, the red x will become a green check. You will also receive an email notification that the requested letter has been submitted.

Must the letters of support all be from the medical school where I am matriculated?
Letters of support do not necessarily have to come from faculty at your medical school. However, they must come from individuals who can comment on your academic performance and potential for clinical research.

May I submit more than two letters of support through the online system?
No. The online system only accepts one Dean letter and two letters of support. Please check the websites of your individual CRF school(s) of interest to see whether additional letters of support are accepted and how they are to be submitted directly to the schools, if applicable.

Can I change my selected reference after I submitted a request for a letter?
Yes. You are able to delete these entries, if needed. Please be aware that anytime you delete a record an email is sent to that Dean or faculty member with a withdrawal notice of your letter request. Make sure you are confident in your selections so that unneccessary emails are not distributed.

Can I upload an unofficial copy of my medical school transcript?
Yes. The transcript you upload does not need to be an official copy. However, please check the websites of your individual CRF school(s) of interest to see if they require an official copy to be sent directly to them as part of their additional school requirements.

My application is complete except for receiving the letters of support from my references. Can I submit my application?
Yes. It is only required that you submit your requests for the Dean and two faculty members to write letters of support in order for you to 'Save and finalize' your application.

Am I required to choose a project and mentor before applying?
The selection of a project and mentor is not required to complete the online application form. However, you may need to choose a mentor in order to complete the application package for an individual CRF school. Each school has a different timeline requirement for the mentor and project selection process. A few CRF schools require applicants to choose a mentor and develop a project prior to the selection process, while other CRF schools first hold an orientation at the beginning of the fellowship program to familiarize CRF students with potential projects and mentors. Regardless of where you apply, it is strongly suggested that you invest some time thinking about your preferred project and mentor.

Is there a list of projects and mentors that I can choose from?
Refer to each school’s CRF program Web site for information about their potential mentors. In the process of submitting your applications, we encourage you to discuss potential mentors with the CRF school program leader and administrator based upon your research interests. The mentors and projects available at each CRF school are not limited to those mentors listed for present and past CRF classes.

Will schools see which other programs I have applied to?
Yes.

What is the timetable for selection in 2010? When are applicants notified?
The selection timeline is the same for all 12 medical schools participating in the CRF program. Applications will be reviewed in February and early March. All 12 CRF medical schools will make their first fellowship offers on March 19, 2010. Students who are offered fellowships will be asked to accept or decline by April 2, 2010. A number of participating schools will continue to offer fellowships through the spring until each fills its fellowship slots. (The first offers date is coordinated with the fellow selection timelines of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and several other year-out fellowship programs.)

Will applicants be interviewed during the selection process?
Some CRF schools require personal or telephone interviews. Please check with the CRF schools of interest for details on their selection process.

Why is there a question in the online application asking if I agree to be contacted by a school to which I did not apply?
CRF schools with available slots past the acceptance date may want to contact available applicants who have not yet been accepted into the program. The contacting school will explore the possibility that the applicant may be interesting in conducting a CRF fellowship at the new school.

Is there a waiting list?
There is not a formal waiting list. However, once the initial selections have been completed, the CRF schools that still have open slots consider all remaining applicants that have agreed to be contacted by other schools on their application.

If I am accepted, can I defer my participation in the program for another year?
No. You will have to re-apply next year.

Will I be notified if I am not accepted in the program?
No. You will only be contacted if a school has an offer for you in their program.

If I am not accepted, can I re-apply the following year?
Yes.

If I choose to re-apply, can you use my prior year's application?
No. You will have to submit a new application.