Scholarly Year Fellowship

The Diversity Innovation Hub Scholarly Year Fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) provides medical students with a unique gap-year opportunity to explore non-traditional career paths in healthcare innovation, technology, and business. This fellowship is designed for students who are passionate about developing innovative solutions to healthcare challenges, particularly those related to social determinants of health (SDoH).

Fellows will work on high-impact projects, receive mentorship from industry experts, and have access to resources within the Innovation Hub and Mount Sinai network. The program encourages students to think beyond traditional medical pathways and gain valuable experience in entrepreneurship, research, and digital health transformation.

This fellowship is recognized by ISMMS’s Medical Student Research Office (MSRO) and fulfills the Scholarly Year requirements. Selected fellows will receive a research stipend, conference support, and health insurance through ISMMS. Applications typically open from February to March each year.

 

As technology and innovation reshape healthcare, medical education must evolve to equip students with multidisciplinary skills. This fellowship serves as a bridge between medicine, innovation, and business, providing hands-on experience in health technology, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship.

  • Full-time medical students at ISMMS interested in healthcare innovation and social determinants of health
  • Fellows will be selected based on their passion, drive, and commitment to developing impactful solutions
  • No prior experience in technology, business, or research is required—just a strong interest in innovation

Fellows have the flexibility to work at a site of their choosing, provided they secure mentorship and project support. Each fellow is expected to work full-time (40 hours per week) for at least 11 months to meet ISMMS scholarly year requirements.

  • Program duration: At least 11 months, as per ISMMS Scholarly Year guidelines
  • Funding: Each fellow will receive Scholarly Year funding in the amount of $40,000, health insurance, and conference support.
  • Application timeline:
    • Applications reviewed in February
    • Interviews conducted in early March
    • Final decisions made by end of March

Three fellows will be selected for the 2025-2026 academic year, each focusing on a distinct area of healthcare innovation:

1. Surgical Innovation & Global Health Fellowship

  • Partnership with the Department of Surgery
  • One fellow will spend a year at the Kyabirwa Surgical Center in Uganda, leading research on innovative tools to improve surgical care delivery and efficiency
  • The fellow will spend about half the year in Uganda and oversee the onsite research team

 

2. Digital Health & Patient Access Fellowship

  • Partnership with Mount Sinai’s Consumer Digital team
  • One fellow will work on healthcare digitization projects, focusing on patient access and care delivery optimization for Mount Sinai’s B2B commercialization efforts

 

3. Health Innovation & Technology Fellowship

  • Open to self-identified projects in health innovation, technology, or business
  • Projects must address healthcare challenges related to SDoH
  • Fellows must pre-identify a company or organization aligned with their project and secure a mentor for the experience

Application & Selection Process

  • Application requirements:
    • Project proposal outlining innovation focus
    • Resume and recommendation letter
    • Evidence of mentorship and project site
    • Applicants will be notified of interview status by early March, and final selections will be announced by the end of March
  • Additional Notes

This Scholarly Year Fellowship is recognized by MSRO and fulfills all Scholarly Year requirements at ISMMS. We encourage innovative, non-traditional projects beyond standard academic and clinical research.

 

Please also see the Scholarly Year Guidelines for additional details on eligibility.