What general principles guide the National Clinician Scholars Program at Michigan?
- A carefully-organized yet flexible curriculum enables scholars to master state-of-the-art research methods and then to apply those methods to their own research interests in any clinical discipline.
- An expectation for a high level of scholarly productivity enhances both short-term and long-term success.
- Didactic instruction is balanced with individualized instruction and project development.
- All scholars receive close mentorship with formal committee oversight.
- Ongoing clinical work helps scholars maintain essential skills and relevance. Scholars’ clinical efforts are balanced with research- and leadership-focused education so that 10% of time (20% in special circumstances) is spent in clinical activities, which permits sufficient educational time for intensive learning in the two-year program.
Can I get an academic degree?
Yes. All scholars are enrolled in the program, which leads to a Master’s Degree in Health and Health Care Research (HHCR). The classes are based on adult-style learning, with your “homework” integrated with your research interests, so that while doing class work you are also progressing towards your specific research projects.
What do I do each year as a scholar?
- The first year starts on July 1 with a six-week intense preparatory course leading up to a two semester master's degree program.
- The second year is primarily devoted to research. A third year is optional for NCSP VA Scholars. Some NCSP VA scholars stay for a third year, which is devoted primarily to research.
Sounds like research is an important part of the fellowship. How do you support scholars’ research projects?
- Funds are available to support research projects.
- Scholars have generous protected time for research – at least 80% of their time.
- We offer full epidemiological and biostatistical support.
- Collaborators and mentors can be found at the Medical School, the School of Nursing, the Institute for Social Research, or the School of Public Health, along with many other departments at the University of Michigan.
- Scholars get to work in an environment with a rich tradition of supporting multidisciplinary research and get to collaborate and innovate with other nurse and physician scholars.
- They are provided with travel funds to attend professional conferences as well as a yearly meeting of the NCSP where scholars from all the national sites present projects, network with peers and leaders from other institutions, and participate in workshops.
What sorts of subjects do scholars study?
The NCSP at IHPI is designed to support multidisciplinary research across a breadth of specialties and disciplines, including (but not limited to):
- Community-Based Participatory Research
- Bioethics and Medical Humanities
- Clinical Outcomes Research
- Patient and Physician Decision-Making
- Health Economics
- Medical History
- Technology Assessment
- Health Care Delivery and Financing
- Health Care Quality and Access
- Health and Health Care Disparities
- Clinical Epidemiology
How is “community-based participatory research” integrated into the program?
Community-based participatory research, or CBPR, is a research method that involves the community in every stage of the research project. We are fortunate at U-M to be able to collaborate with a wide range of community partners, many located in Detroit or Flint. Together with the School of Public Health we have one of the best-developed relationships between an academic institution and communities in the country. All scholars will learn the basics of CBPR through a series of workshops, seminars, and community visits; some scholars will elect to use CBPR for their research projects.
Who helps provide oversight and mentorship for the NCSP?
Oversight will be provided by a National Program Committee (NPC) that consists of the deans from each sites’ schools of nursing and medicine, VA representation, community representatives, and prominent leaders who can provide both oversight and mentorship to the scholars. Prominent co- and associate directors of the NCSP provide weekly mentorship opportunities to the scholars in the form of dedicated time and leadership lunches.
When do people usually enroll in the NCSP?
While most scholars enroll after the completion of their residency, most surgeons (though not all) enroll during the research years of their residency, often the 4th and 5th year.
What do people who have completed the NCSP do once they leave the program?
Scholars have gone on to exciting careers in research, academia, and public health, serving in a variety of leadership roles. Read about the careers of a few CSP alumni who trained at U-M.
What is it like to live in Ann Arbor?
Built on the banks of the Huron River and located 45 minutes west of downtown Detroit, Ann Arbor is a cultural mecca. Not only is it home to one of the finest academic institutions and one of the premier health systems in the country, the University of Michigan, but it also offers a unique blend of city sophistication and small town charm. Both ethnically diverse and culturally rich, Ann Arbor is consistently voted one of the best places to live in the United States. For information on housing, recreation, education, and many additional resources, visit: medschool.umich.edu/our-community/about-ann-arbor.
Is the NCSP offered anywhere else?
Yes, other sites of the National Clinician Scholars Program include the University of California Los Angeles, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, Duke University, and University of California, San Francisco.