This 18-month fellowship will begin in July of the fellow’s second year of medical school and extend up through Dec. 31 of the fellow’s 3rd year of medical school. Fellows will be provided with a $5000 stipend that will be dispersed in two installments in Fall and Spring of the fellow’s second year of medical school. Two fellows will be selected to participate in the 2024-2025 cohort. 

• All current first year medical students are eligible to apply for the WCBLs Fellowship. 
• Applicants must submit a completed and signed application form  along with:

• • Any Behavioral Science faculty member is eligible to serve as a faculty mentor. Each mentor will assume the responsibility of overseeing their respective fellow’s work and progress. The primary mentor is expected to assist the applicant with the following activities:

  • Development of the fellowship application and research plan
  • Project implementation, including overseeing data collection and completion of the project
  • Development of full project proposal (due Dec. 1, 2024)
  • Completion of progress reports describing the fellow’s progress (written by the fellow with mentor’s input and guidance)
  • Preparation of a brief final presentation of the fellow’s project (Late Fall 2025/Early 2026)
  • Completion of a final evaluation of fellow’s progress/exit interview (Late 2025/Early 2026)
  • Personal Statement: Provide a personal statement of no more than 600 words that describes:
    • any previous experience related to service or leadership in social justice organizations and/or organizations focused on healthcare equity
    • commitment to addressing health disparities and/or healthcare inequities within the African American community
    • describe why the Behavioral Science faculty mentor was chosen for this project
    • addresses how the BSC WCBL Fellowship will benefit the applicant in their training as a future physician
    • individuals from any racial/ethnic background are welcome to apply, but the committee asks that the applicant describe if they meet criteria for an under-represented in medicine applicant: AAMC Under-Represented in Medicine 
  • Research Proposal: Submit a 2-page research proposal that includes the following elements:
    • Specific aims page (1 page) (examples and general guidance if needed: NIH SA Page)
    • Project timeline (approx. ½ page) using the research timeline above as a general guide
    • Itemized budget justification (approx. ½ page); $2,000 maximum budget for the duration of the project
    • Questions regarding allowable costs should be directed to: Alicia Colliver (ajduna0@uky.edu)
  • Resume or CV: Include educational history, previous/current research activities (if any), employment, and extracurricular activities, and awards/recognitions
  • Two letters of recommendation: 
    • One letter from a previous or current mentor or supervisor who can speak to the applicant’s involvement working with underserved communities, health disparities impacting African American or underserved communities, or community engagement in social justice activities
    • One letter from the applicant’s Behavioral Science faculty mentor
    • Letters should be submitted on official letterhead and include a signature
    • Letters of recommendation can be sent within the online portal or directly to bscdeicouncil@uky.edu by the letter’s author. If sent via email, letters should have the applicant’s name as part of the file name and in the subject line of the email.

Any Behavioral Science faculty member is eligible to serve as a faculty mentor. Each mentor will assume the responsibility of overseeing their respective fellow’s work and progress. The mentor’s responsibilities are primarily to: 

• Assist the applicant with completion of the fellowship application. 

• Aid the fellow in the developing their project proposal for submission by Dec. 1 of the first year of their fellowship second year of medical school). 

• Oversee the implementation and completion of the fellow’s project. 

• Complete and submit progress reports describing the fellow’s project. 

• Assist in the preparation of a short presentation of the fellow’s project to be presented during the Fall semester of the fellow’s third year of medical school. 

• Complete a final evaluation form describing the fellow’s overall experience in the program by Dec. 30 of the fellow’s third year of medical school. 

• Applications can be submitted beginning Oct. 1, 2023, through Jan. 31, 2024. Notification of award(s) will be made no later than March 15, 2024. 
• Begin Preparing Applications Early! 

The deadline to submit your application and all supplemental materials is Jan. 31, 2024 @ 5 p.m. Please submit all applications and supporting materials online here. If you are electing to have your letter writers submit their letters separately, letters of recommendation can be sent directly to bscdeicouncil@uky.edu by the letter’s author. The letters must be submitted as a pdf file on official letterhead. All letters should have the applicant’s name as part of the file name and in the subject line of the email. The file name for all letters of recommendation should be submitted as follows: Applicants Last Name, Applicants First Name, LOR Author’s Last Name.  

Applications submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by the department of behavioral sciences’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Council. In choosing fellowship recipients, the Council will prioritize candidates who are academic scholars and express a commitment to serving the Black community as a future physician. Applications from individuals who are under-represented in medicine (i.e., African Americans, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Latinx, Pacific Islanders, Asian Americans of Vietnamese and Cambodian heritage, 1st generation college graduates, and individuals from disadvantaged economic backgrounds) are highly encouraged. 

For questions regarding the BSC WCBL Fellowship, please contact Dr. Claire Clark at claire.clark@uky.edu or contact the BSC DEI Council at bscdeicouncil@uky.edu.