The Division of Orthopaedics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) funds a select number of Medical Career
Design (MCD) Fellowships to allow recent college graduates the opportunity to explore many aspects of a medical career
— research, clinical practice, education, advocacy and leadership.
Each MCD fellow spends two years as an essential member of our research and clinical teams, mentored by our
thought-leading faculty from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. CHOP’s Division of
Orthopaedics was ranked #1 in the country by U.S. News & World Report for 2024-25.
PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
The central aspect of the MCD fellow’s work will be
coordinating and facilitating clinical research, including:
• Subject recruitment
• IRB submissions and renewals
• Data analysis/manuscript preparation
• Monitoring/maintaining data for study group
databases and multicenter registries
This will include training in research ethics, research
subject protections, clinical science study design,
methodology, data analytics and statistical methodology.
Successful MCD fellows will have opportunities to
co-author medical journal submissions and are
encouraged to present results at regional and national
meetings. Through this immersive experience, the MCD
fellow will learn how to initiate, design, complete and
communicate clinical research.
Each week, MCD fellows will work in our clinics as a
scribe, helping our attending physicians with patient
visits by populating medical records. The scribe role
offers the MCD fellow a unique front-line physician
shadowing role in performing a history and physical
exam, interpreting image and lab data, and formulating
clinical decisions. This daily exposure — over time — allows the MCD
fellow to develop a significant font of medical knowledge,
grow confident in the patient-care setting, and gain
insights into managing the challenges of a busy and
complex clinical practice.
ELIGIBILITY
MCD fellow applicants will be completing a BA/BS
degree, pre-medical and commit for two gap years
between college and med school. The student must
be in good academic standing and have an interest
in pursuing a career in Orthopaedic Surgery. The
successful applicant will be responsible, motivated,
intellectually curious and independent. An MCAT
score, biostatistics training and research experience
are strongly valued, but not mandatory.
STIPEND AND BENEFITS
Each fellow will be provided an annual stipend of
$45,000 in year one and $50,000 in year two, and
will be provided with up to $7,500 of travel support
annually to attend and participate in scientific
presentations as regional and national meetings.
A minimum two-year commitment is required.
Fellows will also receive 12 vacation days per year
in addition to CHOP-designated national holidays
START AND END DATES
Each fellow’s official start date will be determined
by the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at the time
of receiving an offer. The start date will be no later
than June 16, 2025, with the exception of students
enrolled in late spring or summer coursework.
The official start date may be within two weeks of
college graduation to facilitate the transition
between incoming and outgoing MCD fellows
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please submit the following:
• Cover letter
• Undergraduate transcript
• Curriculum vitae
• MCAT score (if applicable)
Your earliest available start date
Applications should be emailed to: Research
Manager Divya Talwar, PhD, at talward@chop.edu.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis
through March 1, 2025. Interviews will be required
as part of the selection process.