FAQs: Students

Please submit additional questions to fic-fellowship@aamc.org

1. How many fellowship positions are available?
There will be approximately 25-30 fellowship opportunities available.

2. I am a fourth year student graduating this year. Am I eligible to apply?
No. We require that Scholars maintain student status during the fellowship year, and return after the year to complete their degrees.

3. I am a Ph.D. student. When can I apply?
After finishing the requirements for the Master's degree part of the program, but not necessarily receiving the Master's degree.

4. Must I be a U.S. citizen to be eligible to apply?
Yes, or a permanent U.S. resident.

5. I just graduated from medical school. Am I eligible for the program?
Post-doc residents and fellows are eligible to apply for our expansion program, the Fogarty International Clinical Research Fellows (FICRF) program. Please visit www.fogartyscholars.org for more information.

6. In pursuit of my M.D. and Ph.D. studies, I receive support from an NIH-funded medical graduate program - the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). Am I still eligible to apply to the fellowship?
It depends. Because one cannot receive federal government funding from two sources for the same training, the issue of timing is critical. An MSTP student should speak to their program advisor about the situation to see if a one year leave of absence is possible.

7. Do I apply for consideration for the program individually or must I have the support of my home institution?
All applications to the program must include: 1) a reference letter from the dean for academic and/or student affairs at the student's home educational institution; and 2) a letter from a faculty member who is willing to serve as a mentor to the student before, during and upon his/her return from the fellowship experience. Please refer to the Request for Applications page for a complete listing of application requirements.

8. Will each supporting institution be limited in the number of student applicants it sponsors?
There will be no limit on applications from any particular institution.

9. Upon my acceptance into the program, will I be assigned another mentor?
Yes. Besides the student's home institution mentor who will have responsibilities to the student both during the student's application process (in the manner of providing a supporting reference letter with the student's application) and upon the student's return from abroad, each Scholar will be assigned a mentor from the foreign training site. In addition, the student will be advised by a faculty member from the FIC training program which is partnered with the foreign site.

10. Is there any monetary compensation for an accepted student?
Yes. Fellowship stipends are $25,000 per year. Scholars are also provided with roundtrip travel to the foreign site, insurance through the FICRS Support Center or insurance reimbursement ($4,000 for 12 months of coverage), and educational materials. No provision for loan forgiveness is involved in the compensation package.

11. Is there any monetary compensation for foreign training sites?
Yes. Funds will be provided to support a trainee from the foreign site who will be paired with the U.S. trainee. In addition, the foreign training site will receive funds per U.S. trainee for programmatic support including mentoring and administration, laboratory costs, and support of other in-country trainees.

12. Will my inability to speak a foreign language be a problem? Will it adversely affect my prospects for selection?
Generally not, however, some programs might identify the need or advisability of a specific foreign language and the knowledge of such a language would be a clear benefit in the application process. While not applicable to every foreign site, most fellowship opportunities are located in areas where English is predominantly spoken. In cases when it is not, there will be opportunity available for some language training. That said, if an applicant does possess foreign language skills they may note such on their application.

13. How does the FICRS Program define an Eligible Training Site in a developing country?
Criteria for an eligible training site include:

• Ongoing clinical research activities supported by the U.S. Federal Government funding (implicit in this is compliance with the Required Federal Assurances, including data safety monitoring boards). The clinical research projects of the trainee/scholars will be restricted to those which are U.S. Federal Government funded and IRB/IEC approved.
• A strong track record of clinical research and research training, including graduate level training for both developing country students and visiting students.
• Support from one or more FIC training grants for research capacity building at the site.
• Strong mentoring capacity including an on-site research program director / administrator / mentor.
• Willingness to collaborate with a designated U.S. institution and the program steering committee in developing effective mentoring, monitoring, follow-up, and educational programs.
• The capacity to match the U.S. trainee / scholars with trainee / scholars from the developing country in order to foster peer level teaching / support and build a community of scholars.
• The ability to draw upon other educational and scientific strengths of the host institution and other facilities in the community in order to enhance the experience of the trainee / scholars.
• Suitable infrastructure arrangements for housing, food, and transportation.
• Attention to health and safety issues.
• Attention to language issues that impact on the ability of trainee/scholars to function effectively.

14. Beyond the links provided via this site, will there be additional opportunities to learn about the program's foreign training sites?
Yes. If selected as a finalist, applicants will have the opportunity to briefly meet and speak with representatives from the foreign training sites during the Annual Program Selection Conference. It will be at this gathering that final applicants will submit their preferred site destination. At the same time, the foreign training site representatives will have the opportunity to speak with each of the finalists and submit their preferences for individual assignment. Each group will be submitting such to a Steering Committee that will be charged with making the final decision of fellowship awards.

15. If I am awarded a fellowship, what measures will be taken to assure my safety while located at the foreign site?
New fellowship participants will be brought together for a three-week orientation program during which the instruction in bioethical framework of patient-oriented clinical research, research methodology, and advice regarding personal health and safety will be addressed.

In addition, you may find applicable information from one of the following sites:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health for travelers web site and its Destination page
• The U.S. State Department travel advisory web site

16. Will I need to be covered by a health insurance policy during my training period abroad?
Yes, you are required to have comprehensive health coverage during your scholarship year. You have to have coverage that will provide care for when you are outside of the U.S. Even though you are leaving for a year, you may still be covered through your home institution and it will be your responsibility to investigate this. If not, you may enroll in the insurance plan provided by Vanderbilt and the FICRS Support Center. In order to participate in the fellowship program, proof of health insurance must be provided. The fellowship program will pay $4,000 toward 12 months of health coverage.

17. If accepted into the program, will my spouse and child(ren) be able to join me abroad? What about health insurance for my family?
Yes, although no extra stipend or funding will be provided. Regarding health insurance coverage, if either the student or his/her family is not covered by their university healthcare provider, they will have to purchase health care insurance.

18. Let's say that I have received a fellowship. What are my responsibilities to the program after my one-year assignment abroad is complete?
After completion of the research training year, the alumni Scholars will be mentored and encouraged to continue their interest and involvement in global health and clinical research. In the year following their return, alumni have a chance to be competitively selected to present their findings at the Annual Program Selection Conference (held on the NIH campus) attended by their peers, new candidates for the program, and faculty and staff.

In addition, prior to the trainee's year abroad at the time of award conference and acceptance, each Scholar will be required to sign an agreement to complete an annual survey about his/her current career (outcomes such as training & research, awards, publications and employment). Lastly, alumni will be able to apply for funding to attend conferences where their research is accepted for oral or poster presentation.

19. How does the fellowship program define "Clinical Research"?
The term "clinical research" means patient oriented health conducted with human subjects, or research on the causes and consequences of disease in human populations involving material of human origin (such as tissue specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator or colleague directly interacts with human subjects in an outpatient or inpatient setting to clarify a problem in human physiology, pathophysiology or disease, or epidemiologic or behavioral studies, outcomes research or health services research, or developing new technologies, therapeutic interventions, or clinical trials.

20. What is the selection process?
All completed applications received by the December deadline will be reviewed by a committee established by the AAMC and ASPH. Approximately 50 finalists will be invited to visit NIH in early March for 2 days of interviews and meetings with members of the steering committee and representatives from the foreign training sites. At the conclusion of that conference, candidates and programs will list their preferences and the steering committee will make assignments of the successful candidates to the sites. The "final decision" date will be coordinated with the domestic student research programs (Howard Hughes, Doris Duke, NIH Clinical Research Program) so that students considering more than one option will know the full menu of their opportunities. Applicants on the waiting list will receive a final notification by the end of March.

21. What is my home institution mentor's role?
The mentor you choose should be someone from your home institution who knows you well and with whom you have a comfortable relationship. His/her role is to answer your questions and provide you with support while you are abroad; to willingly offer help and guidance when you need it. S/he should help you with your application, and advise you and keep in contact with you while you are away. Upon your return, you will hopefully maintain a supportive professional relationship as the years progress. S/he should continue to mentor you by meeting with you to "debrief" you on your time spent abroad, helping you find other opportunities to stay connected with research endeavors, helping get you venues to talk about the program and the work you did abroad, possibly helping with deciding future residencies and career development, etc. It is not necessary that this person do research in the field(s) you are interested, though you will find it helpful to choose someone who understands some aspects of research and is generally interested in your well being from a scientific point of view.

22. If I am awarded a fellowship, will my student loans go into repayment?
Students who have medical education loans should be sure to contact their Financial Aid Officer in order to understand how taking time off from their medical education program may affect their status during the fellowship year regarding the repayment of their student loans.

23. Do I have to be enrolled in a graduate program to be eligible?
Yes, you must be enrolled in a doctoral-level program at the time of application to be eligible and should have completed your basic requirements. Medical students must have completed their basic science courses and one year of clinical clerkships to apply. Ph.D. students should have completed the Master's degree requirements, even if you do not have a separate degree. Nursing students must have successfully achieved candidacy for the doctoral degree to be eligible.

Post-doc residents and fellows are eligible to apply for our expansion program, the Fogarty International Clinical Research Fellows (FICRF) program. Please visit www.fogartyscholars.org for more information.

25. Are veterinarian students eligible?
Yes, as long as they have completed their basic classes and can make a good case through the application that a career in clinical research, especially global international research, is a serious possibility.

26. Are chiropractic students eligible?
No, chiropractic students are not eligible.

27. At what juncture in my Ph.D. work am I eligible for this fellowship program?
You must have completed the work for the Master's degree in that field. Although you do not need to have the diploma itself, since many Ph.D. candidates do not receive such a diploma on the way to the Ph.D., you must have completed the requirements for it.

28. If I am getting an M.D. and a Ph.D., do I have to wait for eligibility for both paths?
No, each of the two programs would be taken into consideration separately. Therefore, you would need to be either post the clinical rotation year or post the Master's level in the Ph.D. pursuit.

29. Are advanced degree Pharmacy students eligible to apply to the program?
Yes, as long as they have completed their basic classes and can make a good case through the application that a career in clinical research, especially global international research, is a serious possibility.

30. I am a PharmD student. At what point in my schooling am I eligible to apply?
As a PharmD, you must have completed the work for the Master's degree in that field. Although you do not need to have the diploma itself, since many candidates do not receive such a diploma on the way to the doctorate, you must have completed the requirements for it. In addition, you must have completed your basic classes and make a good case through the application that a career in clinical research, especially global research, is a serious possibility.