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Yale Women’s Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Career Development Center

The Yale Women's Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Career Development Center in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences selects outstanding Ob/Gyn scientists - both novice and experienced - for advanced training in basic, translational, or clinical research under the guidance of skilled scientific Mentors. The goal of this rigorous, step-wise research-training program is to produce the next generation of highly skilled physician-scientists and leaders to contribute to the improvement of women's reproductive health.

The Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI), Dr Hugh Taylor, MD and the Research Director (RD), Dr Vikki M Abrahams, PhD, together with the Scholar's Mentors and the WRHR Advisory Committee monitor the Scholar's academic progress toward research independence.

The PD/PI, RD, Mentors and Advisory Committee are directly involved in the training, evaluation and academic development of each Scholar.

WRHR Scholars enjoy:

  • Mentorship from outstanding scientists in fields related to women's reproductive health and who are experienced in career development.
  • Departmental laboratory space with access to shared teaching and core training laboratories tailored to individual Scholar needs.
  • 75% time and salary covered by the Program for research and career development.
  • Research support for 2-5 years to underwrite costs while obtaining preliminary data for grant applications.
  • Inclusion in the Division of Reproductive Sciences activities.

Core requirements of the WRHR Program include:

  • Practical training of Scholars in laboratory techniques in molecular and cellular biology.
  • A didactic program which includes clinical investigation training, study design, biostatstics, and instruction in the responsible conduct of research.

Scholars enter the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences as Assistant Professors, with appropriate office and administrative support. Clinical duties and responsibilities relate directly to the Scholar's research interests. Career development spans two to five years, depending on the Scholar's initial level of experience and particular training and academic goals.

Funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), The Yale WRHR Center aims to foster Scholars'; growth into established, independent investigators in women's health research. The Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences seeks to retain, as faculty, Scholars who successfully complete this individualized training program at Yale and who have made significant progress toward independent funding.