The Durham VA Medical Center and the Duke University Division of General Internal Medicine are sponsoring fellowships in Health Services Research, Ambulatory Care, and Women's Health. These two-year programs provide physicians with the research, clinical, and teaching skills to become successful investigators. Fellows collaborate with MD and PhD investigators who have diverse and complementary backgrounds.

Fellows will work closely with a faculty mentor from the Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care throughout their fellowship program. 

Physician investigators in Ambulatory Care at the Durham VA Medical Center have advanced training and research expertise in clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, decision analysis, technology assessment, meta-analysis, and quality assurance. Some of the research specialty areas are cancer, gastroenterology, congestive heart failure, stroke, diabetes, geriatric care, chronic disease, cost analysis, end-of-life care, racial variation studies, health care delivery, and women's health issues. Both general medicine and subspecialty mentors are available to Fellows.

PhD investigators at the Durham VA Medical Center represent the disciplines of behavioral psychology, biostatistics, epidemiology, health economics, health policy, and medical sociology.

Faculty from Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill complement this already diverse group of investigators.

Research Opportunities
Fellows complete multiple mentored research projects as the primary focus of their fellowship experience. Fellows will be able be able to find assistance and expertise to study any disease in which they are interested. Core investigators provide research opportunities in the following methodologies: decision analysis; end-of-life care; epidemiology; ethics; health services research; health economics; medical informatics; minority health; patient-centered research; physician-patient communication; preventive medicine/disease screening; quality of care; telemedicine; and women's health.

To learn to interact effectively with MD and PhD investigators, Fellows are given dual mentoring whereby they will have both an MD and PhD preceptor. In addition, Fellows choose a three- to four-person research committee to review his or her proposal, monitor the progress of the Fellow's project, and ensure that the resources required to complete the research in a timely fashion are made available.

The combination of dual-mentorship and a formal committee prepares Fellows for future success in his or her research endeavors. Fellows may select preceptors from throughout the VA Medical Center and the Duke University Medical Center campus. Available mentors have diverse backgrounds and can accommodate any conceivable interest of prospective Fellows.

Clinical Research Training Program
Fellows receive formal didactic training through the Clinical Research Training Program at Duke University. The program targets physicians interested in clinical research and epidemiology. Courses include the areas of clinical epidemiology, design of clinical trials, clinical decision analysis, and biostatistics.

Through seminars and small group instruction, fellows develop computer proficiency, learn to appraise medical literature critically, and acquire skills for effective scientific writing. For their master's thesis, Fellows will develop and conduct an original research project.

Clinically, Fellows provide continuity care and supervise house staff in an ambulatory care setting.

Who to Contact
For further information on the MD Fellowship Program, interested applicants are encouraged to call or write:

David Edelman, MD, MHSc dedelman@duke.edu
Health Services Research
VAMC/HSR&D (152)
508 Fulton Street, Bldg.16
Durham, NC 27705
Phone: 919/286-0411 ex. 5656

Applications
For an application to the M.D. Fellowship Program contact:
Kathy Weatherspoon weath009@mc.duke.edu
Phone: 919/286-6936

In Accordance with Federal law, the Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, or handicaps in admission to, access to, or treatment in the Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program.