To be eligible for the National Clinician Scholars program, applicants must be:

• MDs, DOs, or RNs with a doctoral degree (PhD or DNP)
• Committed to a career in serving as change agents to improve health and health care
• Highly regarded by those responsible for their clinical training
• In completion of the clinical requirements allowing for independent clinical work by the date of entry into the program (except for surgeons; 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)
• In completion of the doctorate by the date of entry into the program, if a nurse
• Within 5 years of having completed clinical training at the time of application, if a physician, and within 5 years of having completed the doctoral degree, if a nurse (in other words, to be eligible to apply for the 2026-2028 NCSP cohort, applicants must have completed their clinical training or doctoral degree in the year 2020 or later)
• Eligible for or already have a medical or medicine license, if a physician
• Funding for people who are neither United States citizens nor permanent residents can be difficult. If you are neither, please contact a program director at the site(s) to which you are interested in applying. Please note that the NCSP cannot sponsor work visas.

We are actively recruiting nurse scholars with a diversity of interests. We especially encourage applications from nurses pursuing topics that are a priority for our program partners, including veterans’ health, diabetes care, cancer care, mental health, and nursing workforce.