ABOUT CLINICAL SCHOLARS

Clinical Scholars is a leadership opportunity for practitioners from diverse fields of health care. Interdisciplinary teams of health care providers collaborate to tackle complex health problems in their communities and build a Culture of Health nationwide.

The Clinical Scholars program seeks audiologists, clinical counselors, dentists, dieticians, nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physical therapists, physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, speech therapists, veterinarians, and others working in community, clinical, or academic settings.

The Program at a Glance

Who is Clinical Scholars for?

Interdisciplinary teams of three to five active professionals in community, clinical, or academic settings. Participants do not need to relocate; they will continue working in their home communities.

All team members must hold a clinical license in their chosen health profession; one member of the team must possess a terminal degree in his or her chosen profession.
All team members must have completed all required clinical training five years before program launch; residency and provisional license do not count toward five years of experience.
All team members must be currently active: seeing patients, training health professional students, and/or supervising other providers.
Teams may be working together already or formed for this program.
Organizations apply and are represented by teams of three to five people (“fellows”).

What do fellows receive?

Funding up to $525,000 for a five-person team.
The opportunity to network and learn with other clinical professionals.
Mentoring and coaching from leaders in clinical practice, equity, policy, and advocacy.
The opportunity to initiate a bold Culture of Health project.
A leadership and learning experience that allows them to stay in their jobs and participate from their home communities.

Download Fact Sheet

MEET THE FELLOWS

THE CLINICAL SCHOLARS EXPERIENCE

Over the course of the three-year program, teams will:

Receive funding up to a maximum of $525,000 for a five-person team.
Design and implement a real-world project.
Receive evidence-based and equity-centered training in leadership tools, policy, evaluation, community engagement, and other topics from national experts.
Participate in semi-annual week-long onsite trainings, reinforced by distance-based learning and executive coaching that allows them to stay in their jobs and participate from their home communities.
Become part of a national network of leaders spanning sectors and disciplines in health care and beyond.

Learn more about fellows’ experience in this program

Fellows website

THE RESULT: ENHANCED LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Upon completion, fellows will have the tools to:

Advocate for positive change within their teams, organizations, and communities.
Promote creative thinking, innovation, and thought diversity.
Appraise, synthesize, and use evidence to guide practice and inform policy.
Communicate, engage, and negotiate in a manner that creates win/win outcomes for all stakeholders.
Understand their leadership style and increase their effectiveness.

Clinical Scholars is a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Robert Wood Johnson foundation

These programs continue the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s legacy of supporting the development and diversity of leaders. Initially focused on health and health care, the programs have been expanded, because we know that building a Culture of Health requires all of us in every sector, profession, and discipline working together.

For more than 40 years, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve health and health care. It is working with others to build a national Culture of Health, enabling everyone in America to live longer, healthier lives.

For more information, visit www.RWJF.org