How candidates are selected

Applications are reviewed holistically by the PSDP Steering Committee, with candidates evaluated across seven criteria spanning research quality, mentorship environment, and personal attributes.

Overview

A rigorous, two-stage review

The PSDP Steering Committee reviews all submitted applications and selects a maximum of twenty candidates to invite for interviews. The Committee may recommend revisions to an application before approving it for further consideration.

Interviews are conducted virtually. Once complete, the Selection Committee reconvenes to evaluate each candidate holistically against seven defined criteria.

The Program Administrator notifies candidates of the Committee's final decision in June.

At a glance

The selection process is designed to identify fellows who show both scientific promise and a genuine commitment to a career in academic pediatrics.

≤20 Candidates invited
to interview each cycle

7 Criteria used in
final selection review

June Notification of
final decisions

Process

How the review unfolds

Selection takes place in two distinct stages, from initial screening to final committee deliberation.

Application screening

The Steering Committee reviews all submitted applications. Candidates whose applications show promise may receive a request for revisions before being advanced for further consideration.

Interview invitations

Up to twenty candidates are selected to participate in virtual interviews with the Steering Committee. Interviews assess the candidate's research vision, mentorship context, and commitment to academic pediatrics.

Final committee review

After interviews conclude, the Selection Committee reconvenes to consider each candidate against the seven defined selection criteria. Deliberations are holistic, weighing the full application alongside interview performance.

✓

Notification in June

The Program Administrator notifies all interviewed candidates of the Committee's final decision in June. Successful candidates receive offer letters and onboarding details at that time.

Selection Criteria

Seven factors that guide the final decision

After interviews are complete, the Selection Committee evaluates each candidate in light of the following criteria. No single factor is determinative — the review is intentionally holistic.

01 Research training site — Location and quality of the proposed research training environment, including the laboratory, institutional resources, and scientific community.

02 Research project quality — Scientific rigor, originality, and feasibility of the proposed research project within the PSDP training period.

03 Mentorship and career guidance — Anticipated quality of mentoring by the sponsoring department and primary research mentor, including their track record of trainee development.

04 Connection to clinical pediatrics — The candidate's understanding and appreciation of how the proposed research relates to the practice and advancement of clinical pediatrics.

05 Commitment to academic medicine — Demonstrated commitment to a long-term career in academic pediatrics, including scholarly, scientific, and educational endeavors.

06 Intellectual qualities — Curiosity, thoughtfulness, creativity, and personal academic achievement throughout the candidate's training and career to date.

07 Broader candidate attributes — Additional qualities beyond research — leadership, resilience, collaboration, communication — that may contribute to long-term success as a physician-scientist.

Virtual interviews. All interviews are conducted virtually. Candidates invited to interview will receive scheduling details from the Program Administrator following the initial screening phase.

Ready to apply?

Submit your eligibility form once endorsed by your sponsoring institution. Both current and legacy NIH biosketch formats are accepted this cycle.

Submit eligibility form View application guidelines

The PSDP Steering Committee reviews all applications and selects a maximum of twenty candidates to invite for interviews. The Steering Committee may recommend revisions to an application before approving it for further consideration. Interviews are held virtually.

After the interviews are completed, the Selection Committee reconvenes to consider each application in light of the following criteria:

- location and quality of the proposed research training site
- quality of the research project
- anticipated quality of career guidance and mentoring by the sponsoring department and research mentor
- candidate’s understanding and appreciation of the relationship of the proposed research to clinical pediatrics
- candidate’s commitment to a career in academic pediatrics and to scholarly and scientific endeavor
- candidate’s intellectual curiosity, thoughtfulness, creativity and personal academic achievement
- candidate’s attributes in addition to research-related ones that may contribute to their success

The Program Administrator will notify candidates of the Committee’s final decision in June.