Why Penn State

The Penn State Primary Care Research Fellowship (PCRF) provides an exceptional research training opportunity for postgraduate learners who wish to receive training in primary care research and address some of the most pressing problems in public health and health care, including substance use, mental health disorders and socioeconomic disparities.

The catchment area for Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health (PSH) includes rural, suburban and urban communities and is diverse in age, race and ethnicity, disability, economic and educational status and health disparities, compared to state and national averages. Urban centers (Reading, Harrisburg, Lancaster and Lebanon) are more diverse, with less favorable health profiles than the counties in which they are located. This area includes part of Appalachia, a region with well-documented poverty and health disparities that spans 420 mostly-rural counties in 13 states, including 52 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

Among the most alarming recent national trends is the increase in mortality due to opioid overdose, substance use and use disorders (SUD) and mental health disorders (MHD). Termed “diseases or deaths of despair,” they have disproportionately affected Appalachia and Pennsylvania.

The fellowship emphasizes strategic priorities of health equity, disease prevention and health promotion and community health in developing primary care researchers who will address priorities of ending the crises of overdose, SUD and MHD.

The fellowship is led by experienced clinician-scientists in Family and Community Medicine, General Internal Medicine and General Pediatrics, in collaboration with partners from the broader Penn State community, with faculty from diverse backgrounds and disciplines who bring varied perspectives to the investigation of complex problems. Our rigorous program is guided by leading-edge concepts of active mentorship, experiential learning, diversity, equity and inclusion, translational research and team science.

Program Overview

• The PCRF is a two-year training program with multidisciplinary mentors across Penn State, including different colleges, institutes and campuses. Fellows’ research can span primary care-relevant, translational topics, with focused training on health disparities, overdose, substance use and mental health.
• An individually-tailored training program is the core of the fellowship. Fellows have access to a vast array of coursework and degree programs; mentored research experiences across numerous departments, schools and institutes; and a collegial research-oriented institutional and departmental culture.
• Consistent with the diversity of primary care and the range of experience of the fellows, we tailor the details of learning experiences to each fellow’s needs; from this perspective, the fellowship does not have a set, rigid curriculum.
• Diverse fellows learn to conduct culturally competent, high-quality primary care research and advance their careers toward the goal of becoming independent investigators able to conduct innovative primary care-based research that improves health outcomes in areas of high public health need.
• Eligibility – MD, DO, PhD or other terminal doctoral degree in biomedicine.
• Federal funds provide for stipends, tuition and other research related travel and supplies.

Institutional Research Resources

• Study design, marketing, communications: Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
• College of Medicine Research
• Research Development: researcher development, proposal development, funding sources
• Literature Review: Harrell Health Sciences Library, Esther Dell, DFCM Departmental Liaison
• Brainstorming/Collaboration: Research Concierge
• Qualitative Mixed Methods Core (QMMC) – an institutional core that supports the performance of rigorous qualitative and mixed methods research at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health in three main service areas:
  • Study Design/Consultation
  • Education
  • Implementation Services
• Federal Work Study, MSR projects
• Institutional Review Board/ Human Subjects Protection Office

Eligibility and Application

Eligible candidates will have an MD/DO/PhD or equivalent terminal degrees from a wide range of disciplines, including medicine, pharmacy, nursing, psychology or the social sciences. Eligibility includes being a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Direct any inquiries related to the application process to:

Holly-Mae Carver
Education Program Coordinator
Penn State College of Medicine
Department of Family & Community Medicine

Email: PCRF@pennstatehealth.psu.edu