About the National Clinicians Scholar Program

Welcome to the Yale National Clinician Scholars Program! The Scholars Program at Yale has been preparing clinician leaders to improve health and health care in the United States for over 50 years. Since our beginnings with the RWJ Foundation Clinical Scholars Program, we have been part of the National Clinician Scholars Program for more than ten years, continuing to support clinician-scholars in meaningful ways. Our interprofessional program seeks to develop and support a broad group of clinician-scientists, whose scholarship will positively influence population health, ensure optimal health for all, and inform the redesign of the health care system.

Yes, we teach research methods – we are committed to rigorous science, and this is a research fellowship. But the NCSP at Yale is much more than that. We are deeply committed to providing trainees not only with the tools necessary to conduct high-quality research, but also to fostering an understanding of varied health outcomes and the factors that contribute to ensuring access to high quality health care, and a recognition that engagement of stakeholders at all levels is a foundational premise of improving health. Our scholars impact policy. We change health care. We improve the health of our communities. We take great pride in the program’s credibility in building research capacity among local community-based organizations in New Haven, helping them advance their own missions.

We are looking for individuals who are impatient with the status quo – who are skeptical of conventional wisdom and want to use research as a lever to promote change. Our scholars develop and refine their analytical and critical thinking skills through coursework and substantive research projects. And what paths do our scholars take? Our scholars are pluripotent – some aspire to work in a federal, state, or local government setting. Many will pursue academic careers or leadership roles in large health systems. We work with scholars, tailoring their experiences to ensure they have the skills and experiences needed to succeed, and we have fun along the way.

Please peruse our website and let us know if you have any questions about the program.

Sincerely,

Cary Gross

The National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP) can best be understood through the transformative work being carried out by its graduates in health and health care efforts across the country. Below please find a small sample of a few alumni currently acting as change agents in the United States and beyond. More to come as our NCSP alumni follow in their footsteps!

Class of 2011-2013
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Montefiore Medical Center

My time as a clinical scholar exposed me to the importance of forging strong partnerships with community-based organizations and systems outside of health care to positively impact health and psychosocial outcomes. The skills that I developed in the conduct of Community Based Participatory Research—inviting communities to participate in all phases of a research project, from asking the question to disseminating findings—continue to inform my work today. The Clinical Scholars program was critical in expanding my view of how health care systems work, and how they can be transformed to positively impact communities beyond the walls of the hospital or clinic.

Class of 2008-2010
Professor of Medicine
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Chief Medical Officer for Humana, 2020-2025
Chief Medical Officers for Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2011-2020

In my role at CMS, I oversee the development and implementation of quality measures for value-based purchasing programs, coverage decisions for Medicare patients, national quality improvement activities, and health and safety standards for all healthcare facilities in the country. In making these decisions, I rely heavily on the research methodology and critical thinking skills I acquired during my time at Yale. In addition, Yale’s strong focus on organizational psychology and leadership has greatly helped me to do my job in a highly complex organization where I must take into account numerous internal and external interests.

Class of 2007-2009
Associate Chief of Staff
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX

My time as a scholar was the most formative experience of my life. Since then, my journey as a health care public servant has spanned tackling the opioid crisis, ensuring Medicaid beneficiaries have access to breast cancer care, coordinating medical disaster hurricane response efforts, and serving our nation’s veterans. The training I received as a scholar equipped me with the tools, the skills, and most importantly, the courage to take on these challenges. I learned that giving up is never an option and that yes, you can be the change you want to see.

Class of 2013-2015
Vice President for Primary Care
New York City Health + Hospitals

The Clinical Scholars Program taught me how to apply the skills and mentality of health services research to the field of health policy. Since completing the Program, I have been honored to hold several leadership roles in health care policy and delivery, applying what I learned in the Clinical Scholars Program. I am currently the vice president for Primary Care at New York City Health + Hospitals, the largest public health care system in the country, with more than 70 primary care clinic sites. I previously served as senior medical officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and as medical director for the Rhode Island State Department of Health. The Clinical Scholars Program prepared me with the necessary knowledge and context to understand broad aspects of health policy and health care systems.

Class of 2012-2014
National Director, Psychotropic Drug Safety Initiative (PDSI)
Associate Director, Northeast Program Evaluation Center
Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (10NC5), Department of Veterans Affairs

The Scholars Program was critical in helping me develop the analytical and leadership skills that have allowed me to excel in the work I do now, leading several national programs for the Veterans Health Administration. The Scholars Program helped broaden my understanding of health systems and refine my understanding of leading change within a large organization.

Class of 2018-2020
Chief Community and Population Health Officer
Medical Director
University Medicine Associates

Growing up, accessing primary care often meant crossing the border to Mexico, where care was timely, affordable, and trustworthy, while my mother and grandmother struggled to obtain high-quality, culturally competent services. These experiences, along with my own traumatic brain injury as a teenager, fueled my determination to ensure underserved communities have access to world-class health care. Through the National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP) at Yale, I gained the skills to become a clinician-scientist, conducting health policy research, publishing in high-impact journals, and leading public health initiatives, including COVID-19 studies in New York City. The program also strengthened my leadership, storytelling, and community engagement abilities, enabling me to design quality improvement efforts, produce documentaries on immigrant health, and contribute to national and local media. Most importantly, NCSP fostered lifelong relationships with mentors and peers whose work continues to inspire my commitment to improving health equity.