Overview
The University of Washington Clinical Scholars Program is a two-year
fellowship that seeks to prepare young physicians from all medical specialties
for leadership roles in the future American health care system. It combines the
resources of the UW Schools of Medicine, Public Health, and other graduate
schools to provide flexible and research-based training in preparation for a
career in academia, government, or community health organizations.
Scholars enroll in a core curriculum which provides a balanced introduction to the major ideas and methods of non-clinical disciplines, including epidemiology, biostatistics, health services research, health policy, administration and management, and the social and behavioral sciences. Each Scholar also conducts at least one research project in order to develop research skills and depth of knowledge in a particular subject area.
The program's priority areas for training are:
Scholars receive the program's core courses to acquire basic methodologic skills, an enriched graduate-level curriculum within the priority area, access to a wide array of local research opportunities, and mentoring from an individual expert or multidisciplinary group currently working in the subject area.
Special features of the Seattle setting include:
- A premier research University with a strong commitment to medical education for primary care
- A well-developed infrastructure for health research
- Close ties between the University and other health institutions in the Pacific Northwest, including:
- Excellent working relationships with local, state, and federal health departments and agencies.
Scholars may also arrange an optional practicum in a government or private sector health agency to learn about its structure and function and to work on a project of mutual interest.
The program provides a stipend, tuition, health benefits, office space, computer access, a small research and travel budget, and basic clerical support.
Program Goals
The main goal of the UW Clinical Scholars Program is to prepare talented
young physicians for leadership roles in the future American health care system.
Specifically, the program seeks:
- To provide Scholars with a broad base of knowledge about personal and public health services and the societal factors that influence them
- To expand their capacity to use the theory and methods of key non-clinical disciplines in dealing with major health care issues
- To help them develop expertise in a specific area appropriate to their interests and long-term career goals
- To help them acquire and apply the analytic, communicative, and management skills needed to excel in a variety of professional roles
In selecting and training Scholars, the program emphasizes two areas: (1)
major societal health problems; and (2)
assuring equity, quality, and ethical standards of care for vulnerable popul ations.
Methods for achieving these goals include:
- A core curriculum on basic research methods, epidemiology, biostatistics, the U.S. health care delivery system, health services administration, organizational behavior, health economics, and health policy.
- Advanced elective courses in research methodology and in a wide variety of substantive areas related to program goals, available to Scholars through resources of the entire University of Washington.
- Peer interaction through weekly seminars, weekly work-in-progress sesssions, and informal discussions facilitated by shared office space.
- Individual research projects that draw on a rich array of opportunities and research mentors in the Seattle area.
- Practicum opportunities for Scholars that expose them to the nature of work in local, state, or federal governmental health agencies, major delivery systems, or community health agencies. This is a new feature of the UWCSP under the proposed renewal.
- Clinical practice for 1/2 to 1 day per week, to help maintain clinical skills.
National Program Office 
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