A $3,500 stipend is available for fellowship recipients. The applicant and mentoring physician are responsible for jointly determining the scope of the fellowship. Approved fellows will be notified by March 15.
For Mentors: If you would like to be added to the database of potential mentors or projects, please complete this form or email Elizabeth Ringle.
For Students: The next Summer Fellowship application deadline will be February 1.
For Supporters: Donations to the Foundation Fellowship Fund and for annual fellowships make these opportunities possible. Click here for a list of recent fellowship program supporters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started on a fellowship proposal?
There are a number of avenues that students have used to develop a project. You may want to begin by focusing on a topic that interests you such as suicide prevention. Look for an organization that focuses on this topic. This can be a not-for-profit organization including a public health department. It might also be an individual, preferably a physician, doing research. You can contact the organization or individual, discuss the fellowship opportunity and ask for their support in developing your project.
Some fellows explore opportunities through relationships they already have with organizations or individuals and develop a project to fit one of those opportunities. Faculty advisors and/or professors may be helpful in recommending opportunities through organizations.
If you have a proposed project in mind, but cannot find a physician, please contact Elizabeth Ringle, Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation Fellowship Program Coordinator at [email protected].
Is a research focus required?
No. Some projects have focused on research however, it is not necessary. Your proposal, if not research focused, must be grounded in evidence-based medicine and principles of public health.
What is the role of the physician mentor?
The first responsibility of the physician mentor is to “certify” the project through the letter of reference. You may develop the project with another person, but the mentor must write one of your letters of reference to provide assurances related to the value of the project for your education, the need for the project, your role in the project, and your ability to effectively achieve the proposed project goals.
You may work with a variety of individuals throughout your fellowship and learning how to work with a variety of individuals who share a common public health goal is a valuable experience. However, the physician mentor should, at a minimum, be willing to provide you with the appropriate amount of time needed to meet your goals and the project goals.
Must the physician mentor be a member of the Wisconsin Medical Society?
No. The Grants Committee reviews all proposals and makes recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees with the goal of recommending the proposals that best meet the fellowship goals and application requirements. In the event the Grants Committee evaluates more than one proposal as being of equal caliber, preference will be given to the proposal with a letter of reference from a Wisconsin Medical Society member.
How do I know if a physician is a member?
You can ask the physician or you can contact Elizabeth Ringle at [email protected] to confirm.
What are the reporting requirements if my proposal if accepted?
The Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation has minimal contact with students during their fellowships. We may ask to visit or ask for photos to use in newsletters or other publicity. We ask that you communicate with us should there be substantial changes to your approved project or if you encounter obstacles that we may be able to help you work through.
A Final Report is required to be completed within 60 days of the end of your fellowship. To access the final report form, click here. If you and the group you are working with plan to submit a peer-reviewed article to a scientific journal, that article may serve as the Final Report, however you will also need to submit answers to those questions not addressed in your article such as personal and professional goals achieved through the fellowship. If you let us know that the article is to be submitted for peer-reviewed publication, we will respect those publication rights and will not publish or distribute your article beyond members of the Grants Committee. Please inform us if the article is accepted, by what publication and when it will be published.