In 2017, after more than 40 years of generous support, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) ended their training programs in their current form, which included the Clinical Scholars Program (CSP). Previously, the place-based Clinical Scholars program prepared physicians for health services and health policy research. A separate national program prepared nurse faculty leaders. The National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP) was established soon after to continue the legacy of the RWJF CSP and make substantial program changes by including both nurses and physicians as trainees, adding curriculum for leadership training, and added flexibility to establish partnerships and projects focused on local communities.

All sites share a common legacy and vision: to train and inspire agents of change;

All sites include nurses and physicians in interdisciplinary efforts;

Strong collaboration across sites through recruitment planning, an annual national conference, sharing of critical curricular components, and more;

Committed network of advisors, as well as alumni from former RWJF Clinical Scholars program;

Rigorous assessment and oversight of quality through internal and external evaluation.

The NCSP is a 2-year, full-time research fellowship. Newly accepted cohorts begin the program in July each year.

Physicians who will have completed their clinical training and nurses who will have completed their doctoral degree prior to the start of the fellowship are eligible to apply. The clinical training for physicians and the doctoral degree for nurses should have been completed within the past 5 years prior to the application process. Surgeons are the single exception to the requirement; due to the structure of the “research years” in the middle of many surgical residencies, surgical residents who will be PGY-3 or higher are eligible to enroll in the program.

All applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its territories at the time of application.

During the regular work week, Scholars are expected to be fully engaged in all aspects of the program including the core curriculum, special seminars, clinical work, and research. Scholars are required to fully participate in the core curriculum which includes Journal Club, All Scholars Meetings, Leadership Seminars, Pod Meetings, Fellows Forum, GIM Research Seminars etc.  Please see the Curriculum Overview for more details.

Yes, the UCLA NCSP, through the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, is able to offer a master’s degree in Health Policy & Management (MSHPM). Scholars must apply for the graduate degree program in the winter prior to their entrance into the NCSP. Fulfillment of degree requirements usually occurs in approximately a year and one quarter. Requests for other degree programs and courses of study should be directed to the Program Director.

As a note, master’s degree participation varies across sites: at some sites, scholar participation in an affiliated master’s program is a mandatory component of the NCSP; at others, it is optional. Please inquire at each location for specifics in this regard.

Yes, Scholars receive an annual stipend. Please contact the program administrator for more information.

UCLA’s team usually notify applicants of their interview offer in early August. Interviews will take place late August to early October.

The UCLA NCSP team is housed within the UCLA Division of General Internal Medicine & Health Services Research offices in the heart of Westwood Village, home to the UCLA campus, Ronald Reagan Medical Center, and nearby VA West Los Angeles Medical Center. This prime Westside location puts scholars in a centralized Los Angeles location with immediate access to vital educational, research, and medical facilities, including faculty mentors and research partners.

• Los Angeles, CA is a dynamic city home to a diverse array of individuals from a variety of cultural backgrounds, great for producing generalizable research.
• LA has a huge food scene with all sorts of cuisine
• Los Angeles’ warm, sunny weather typically ranges between 55 – 90 degrees Fahrenheit, delivering beautiful weather in spring and summer, perfect for hiking and other outdoor activities!
• Los Angeles has a surplus of locations involving arts and culture, our Westwood Village office is located next to the UCLA Hammer Museum and has several nearby institutions including the Geffen Playhouse, UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance, The Fowler Museum at UCLA, the Getty Center and Getty Villa just to name a few.
• For more information and ideas on what LA has to offer, please visit: https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/
• Learn about local options for transportation and accommodations at our Life in L.A. page.

NCSP classes, with rare exception, are limited to Scholars only.