Pediatric Scientist Development Program
Training the next generation of pediatrician-scientists
PSDP is an NIH K12-funded program offering three years of intensive research training, mentorship, and career development for fellows committed to academic pediatrics.
81%
Graduates in academic pediatrics
54%
Graduates with NIH funding
$1.18B
Alumni NIH funding secured
24×
Return on investment
Latest News
What's happening at PSDP
Program updates, new funding partnerships, and events supporting the pediatrician-scientist pipeline.
An Evening at the Theatre in Support of PSDP
Join AMSPDC for a special performance of the Tony Award–winning musical Suffs at the National Theatre, followed by a panel on advocacy and child health. Proceeds support the PSDP initiative.
Purchase tickets →New Rheumatology Slot + AHA Slot Update
Two new specialty research slots are open this cycle: a Rheumatology slot focused on juvenile arthritis and related autoimmune disease, and an AHA Cardiovascular slot centered on congenital heart defects.
Submit eligibility form →PSDP Application Cycle Now Open
Eligibility forms are due once endorsed by your sponsoring institution. Both current and legacy NIH biosketch formats are accepted this cycle.
View key dates →This Application Cycle
8 available research slots
PSDP slots are funded through NICHD and a growing group of partner organizations, each supporting research in a specific area of pediatric medicine.
5
NICHD Slots
1
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Slot
1
American Heart Association Slot
1
Rheumatology Slot (Arthritis Foundation / CARRA / RRF)
Each sponsoring institution may nominate up to two applicants per cycle.
Program Description
Three years of protected time, mentorship, and support
PSDP prepares entry-level faculty for research careers in academic pediatrics, pairing fellows with established investigator-mentors across basic, translational, clinical, and health services research.
Three years of protected research time
Open to pediatricians holding an MD, DO, or MD/PhD who are committed to a career in academic medicine, with up to 20% clinical time allowed.
A funding model built for continuity
Year one is supported by your sponsoring institution; years two and three are funded through PSDP's NIH and foundation partners.
Faculty appointment on completion
Fellows in their third year are appointed as instructors, assistant professors, or equivalent rank at their institution.
Chair-level sponsorship
Pediatric department chairs are directly involved in nomination, application, and career development — a structure central to the program's outcomes.
Fellow Support
Stipend by program year
Year one
Salary and fringe benefits commensurate with fellow rank, paid by your sponsoring institution.
Year two
$82,000 salary + 15% fringe benefits, plus $25,000 for research supplies and travel.
Year three
$86,000 salary + 15% fringe benefits, plus $25,000 for research supplies and travel.
Applying
Key dates for this cycle
Eligibility forms are submitted once a candidate is endorsed by their sponsoring institution.
Standard deadline
For institutions with two or fewer interested candidates, eligibility forms are due February 16th.
Internal-selection deadline
Institutions with more than two interested candidates must run an internal selection process; forms are due March 2nd.
Research availability requirement
All first-year fellows across sub-specialties are eligible provided at least three years (80%+) of guaranteed research time is available roughly 15 months after the application is due.
Alumni Stories
Careers PSDP helped launch
In their own words, alumni describe how protected research time and mentorship shaped their path to academic pediatrics.
The program gave me protected research time and mentorship that helped me land three major research grants in my final fellowship year, ultimately leading to a tenure-track faculty position.
Erlinda "Chulie" Ulloa, MD, MSc
PSDP Alumnus 2019 · Assistant Professor, UC Irvine
Multi-year protected lab time, close oversight of research progress, and consistent mentoring from participating chairs were key to launching an independent research career.
Joseph St. Geme, MD
PSDP Alumnus 1991 · Chair of Pediatrics, CHOP
The support to learn a new animal model, especially through the challenges of COVID, made the difference in generating enough preliminary data for a competitive K08 application.
Kristen Noble, MD, PhD
PSDP Alumnus 2022 · Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt
Beyond the financial support, access to renowned pediatric physician-scientist mentors provided timely, personalized guidance that shaped a career in academic pediatrics well beyond the program itself.
Elizabeth Crouch, MD, PhD
PSDP Alumnus 2021 · Assistant Professor, UCSF
Ready to apply?
Submit your eligibility form once endorsed by your sponsoring institution. Both current and legacy NIH biosketch formats are accepted.
Pediatric Scientist Development Program
Training the next generation of pediatrician-scientists
PSDP is an NIH K12-funded program offering three years of intensive research training, mentorship, and career development for fellows committed to academic pediatrics.
81%
Graduates in academic pediatrics
54%
Graduates with NIH funding
$1.18B
Alumni NIH funding secured
24×
Return on investment
AN EVENING AT THE THEATRE IN SUPPORT OF PSDP
Join the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs (AMSPDC) for a special evening featuring the Tony Award–winning musical Suffs.
Suffs tells the story of the women who fought for the right to vote — a powerful reminder of advocacy, persistence, and leadership, values that resonate strongly in pediatrics and child health.
The evening will include:
- A performance of Suffs
- A post‑show panel discussion on advocacy and child health
- An opportunity to support AMSPDC/NICHD’s Pediatric Scientist Development Program (PSDP)
Thursday, June 25, 2026
7:30 PM
National Theatre, Washington, DC
Purchase your show ticket here.
Please note that ticket purchase does not include a donation. If you would like to support the PSDP initiative, we suggest a $100 donation per attendee (trainees excluded), which can be made here: Donate to AMSPDC/NICHD’s Pediatric Scientist Development Program (PSDP) Initiative
The Pediatric Scientist Development Program (PSDP) provides intensive training in research relevant to specialty areas of pediatrics. The goal is to prepare entry-level faculty for research careers in academic pediatrics. Physicians presently in pediatric training programs who wish to train in basic, translational, clinical, or health services research with an established investigator/mentor are encouraged to apply.
- PSDP provides three years of training for pediatricians with an MD, DO or MD/PhD degree who are committed to a career in academic medicine
- Fellows will be supported from their sponsoring departments during their first year of PSDP. The second and third years of PSDP training will be sponsored by our funding partners, ensuring all PSDP fellows receive three years of support for their professional development.
- Fellows in their third year of PSDP will be appointed as instructors, assistant professors, or equivalent rank.
- The involvement and support of pediatric department chairs in the nomination, application process, and career development of PSDP scholars are essential to the success of the program
Building the Next Generation of Pediatrician Scientists
- The PSDP is an NIH K12 award that fosters basic,
clinical, translational, and health services research - 81% of PSDP graduates work in academic pediatrics
- As of 2025, 54% of PSDP graduates had obtained NIH
funding - PSDP alumni have collectively secured over $1.18 billion in NIH funding
- PSDP Return on Investment = 24
[/vcex_callout]
- External mentorship is offered to residents interested in
PSDP fellowship opportunity through our alumni
mentorship program - The PSDP is committed to increasing the pediatric-scientist workforce
[/vcex_callout]
“The PSDP was instrumental in helping me launch my career and provided protected research time and the necessary mentorship to successfully secure three research grants in my last year of fellowship, including an NIH K08 Career Development Award, Harold Amos Award through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and a UC President’s Award, which ultimately helped me secure a tenure-track faculty position. “
– Erlinda ‘Chulie’ Ulloa, MD, MSc (PSDP alumnus 2019, Assistant Professor, UC Irvine)
“Support from the PSDP played a critical role in launching my career as an independent investigator – the support for a multi-year research experience and fully protected time in the lab, the oversight of my research progress by the PSDP leadership team, and the short-term and long-term mentoring and career guidance by the Chairs participating in the PSDP were invaluable.
– Joseph St. Geme, MD (PSDP alumnus 1991, Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Former PSDP Steering Commitee Member)
“The PSDP has been instrumental to provide me with the time I needed to learn a new animal model and give me a chance to be successful as a physician-scientist. Without participation in the PSDP, especially through COVID, the transition from trainee to faculty would have been much more challenging. The PSDP gave me the time to generate enough preliminary data to be competitive for an institutional K12 which has allowed me to be to submit my first K08 application during my first year on faculty!“
– Kristen Noble, MD, PhD (PSDP alumnus 2022, Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt)
“Without a doubt, this program made my career in academic pediatrics possible. In addition to the financial support, I had access to world-renown pediatric physician scientists as mentors. Their timely and personalized advice allowed me to navigate different stages of my career with success, even after I officially exited the program.”
– Elizabeth Crouch, MD, PhD (PSDP alumnus 2021, Assistant Professor, UCSF)