About Us

The purpose of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program at Yale is to prepare a select group of physicians to improve health and healthcare in the US through scholarship and action at the national, state, and local levels.

Coursework

Coursework is designed around training in clinical epidemiology, community-partnered research, health economics, health policy, health systems management, organizational behavior, and leadership development. Classroom content is complemented by a number of applied experiences in both years of fellowship. Scholars spend approximately 102 hours in the classroom during their first summer, 98 hours in the fall, and 53 hours in the spring. As classroom time decreases, time for research increases.

Research

Scholars are expected to conduct two or more health services research projects during their fellowship and contribute to clinical research scholarship. They are encouraged to consider at least one project that involves primary data collection and to take on projects that employ different methodological approaches. Scholars are also expected to engage in a community-partnered research project with the aim of helping to improve health in the New Haven community.

Initially, research is conducted with strong mentoring from faculty preceptors with Scholars developing increased independence in their second year of fellowship.

Patient Care

Scholars spend 20 percent of the fellowship effort maintaining clinical and teaching skills. Direct patient care experience is available electively at Yale-New Haven Hospital, the West Haven VA Medical Center, and affiliated clinics, hospitals, and community-based health centers.

MHS Degree

Upon successful completion of the Program, Scholars are awarded a Master of Health Sciences Research (MHS) from the Yale University School of Medicine.

Program Duration

The fellowship is a two-year program that begins in July and concludes in June.