Applications for the General Internal Medicine Research Fellowship open in July for the following academic year and are reviewed on a rolling basis.
We continue to consider strong applicants throughout the year. If you are a good fit, reach out even after the typical review window. Most successful applicants identify a primary mentor before applying; contact Kevin Stephenson (k.stephenson@wustl.edu), or email any faculty member directly.
Application cycle
July 2026: Applications open. Application form goes live; faculty outreach welcomed.
Rolling: Review and interviews. Files reviewed as they arrive; interviews and decisions issued on a rolling basis. We won’t make you wait.
July 2027: Fellowship begins. Orientation & first clinical block.
How to apply
Check eligibility
Three baseline requirements. Other prior research training, advanced degrees, or specialty interests are welcome but not required.
- MD, DO, or MBBS degree (or international equivalent)
- Completion of an ACGME-accredited residency before the start of fellowship
- U.S. citizens and permanent residents (required for clinical credentialing at Barnes-Jewish Hospital)
Prepare materials
Three documents. Keep the personal statement focused. We read it as a project sketch, not a CV summary.
- Personal statement (1 page). Research interests, career goals, ideal mentor fit.
- Curriculum vitae. Current academic CV.
- Two letters of recommendation. One from the residency program director is encouraged.
Submit and interview
Applications are submitted via Qualtrics. We respond within two weeks. Interviews include the fellowship leadership, at least one proposed primary mentor, and a current or former fellow.
- Submit via application form
- Interview invitations issued on rolling basis
- Interview day: ~3 hours, virtual or in-person
Submit your application
The application takes about 30 minutes to complete once your CV, personal statement, and letter-of-recommendation contacts are ready. You can save and return; the form accepts updates until you click submit.
Rolling review · Strong applicants welcomed throughout the year
Contact
Reach out before you apply.
For specific scientific questions, email the proposed primary mentor directly; find them on the Faculty page. For program-level questions, contact fellowship leadership below. Once you’re ready, apply now »
Frequently asked questions
If your question isn’t answered here, the fastest answer comes from emailing fellowship director Kevin Stephenson (k.stephenson@wustl.edu) directly.
Ten weeks per year as a hospitalist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Clinical medicine is a core part of the fellow’s identity, not a service obligation. See the curriculum for the full schedule.
Approximately 10 months total across two years: 4 months in Year 1, 6 months in Year 2. The exact rhythm is customized with the primary mentor and field site. See the Fellow Calendar.
About 40 weeks per year of protected research time. Domestic-track fellows are based in St. Louis year-round with no field rotations; research time is spent on coursework, project work, manuscript writing, and K-award preparation.
All fellows earn a Graduate Certificate from the Clinical Research Training Center, either the Clinical Investigation track or the D&I concentration. An optional third year leads to an MSCI, MPHS, or MPH.
Fellows are matched to field sites based on research interests, mentor alignment, and site availability. Preferences are weighed heavily but cannot be guaranteed if a site is at capacity.
GIM research fellowships are not ACGME-accredited; this is standard at peer institutions. Fellows are early-career faculty and research trainees, not GME trainees, and the program is governed by the Division of General Internal Medicine and the ICTS rather than the GME office.
Prior experience is valued but not required. The fellowship provides structured training for physicians at all levels of global health experience, from first-time international research to seasoned implementation scientists.
Fellows are prepared for junior faculty positions in academic GIM with a focus on clinical research. The fellowship’s K-award pipeline is designed to position graduates for NIH career development funding within 12 months of graduation. Past graduates hold K23/K08/K01 awards across academic medical centers.