Fellowship and Application Process
We are seeking motivated candidates for highly-competitive clinical fellowships in multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology. Applicants should submit a CV and a description of their career development goals and interests to the Director of the Fellowship program, Dr. Jeffrey Gelfand, MD, via email at [email protected].
Applicants will also be asked to provide 3 letters of support as well as professional references who may be contacted by us. Select candidates will be invited to interview with faculty and have an opportunity to learn more about the clinical and research environment at UCSF. We begin to offer interviews 12-18 months in advance of the start date and encourage applicants to contact us as soon possible to discuss their interest.
The UCSF MS Center supports several different training plans based on career development goals and interests, all of which include comprehensive subspecialty level clinical training:
Multiple Sclerosis / Neuroimmunology Clinician Training Fellowship: 1-2 years
The UCSF MS and Neuroinflammation Center provides expert, subspecialty-level, multidisciplinary care for patients with MS and other inflammatory neurological disorders including optic neuritis, myelitis, neuromyelitis optica, neurosarcoidosis, vasculitis, encephalitis, meningitis, paraneoplastic neurological disorders, neurological manifestations of systemic inflammatory/rheumatological disorders and CNS infection. Fellows will receive extensive training in clinical evaluations and paraclinical testing related to diagnosis and care of these disorders in a superbly equipped environment that serves a diverse patient population. Fellows also participate in ongoing clinical trials of promising agents for MS. Fellows actively participate in our weekly MS Center clinical conferences, journal clubs, clinical educational sessions based on a formal curriculum on the fundamentals and state-of-the-art MS and neuroimmunological care. The goal of this fellowship pathway is to provide training needed to launch a clinically-oriented career as a sub-specialist in MS/Neuroimmunology.
Multiple Sclerosis / Neuroimmunology Clinician Scientist Fellowship (Clinical, Translational and Basic Research): 2-3 years
The UCSF MS and Neuroinflammation Center provides expert, subspecialty-level, multidisciplinary care for patients with MS and other inflammatory neurological disorders including optic neuritis, myelitis, neuromyelitis optica, neurosarcoidosis, vasculitis, encephalitis, meningitis, paraneoplastic neurological disorders, neurological manifestations of systemic inflammatory/rheumatological disorders and CNS infection. Fellows will receive extensive training in clinical evaluations and paraclinical testing related to diagnosis and care of these disorders in a superbly equipped environment that serves a diverse patient population. Fellows actively participate in our weekly MS Center clinical conferences, journal clubs and formal educational sessions based on a curriculum focusing on the fundamentals and state-of-the-art MS and neuroimmunological care. Clinician science fellows work in the clinical research unit or MS laboratory at the state-of-the-art Sandler Neurosciences Center at our Mission Bay campus.
Fellows focusing on clinical research projects will obtain hands-on training in observational and interventional clinical research related to MS and neuroimmunology, including participation in clinical trials testing new agents, under the mentorship of expert faculty in clinical research. Fellows are encouraged to obtain formal training in epidemiology, biostatistics and research methods. Fellows participate in research-oriented journal clubs, grand rounds and retreats as part of the innovative research environment at UCSF. The goal of this fellowship pathway is to provide training needed to launch a clinically-oriented career as a sub-specialist in MS/Neuroimmunology and as a clinical researcher in MS / Neuroimmunology.
Fellows focusing on basic science projects will obtain hands-on training in the wet or computational laboratory under the mentorship of experienced principal investigators in the research unit. There is extensive laboratory expertise at UCSF in a wide range of areas, including genetic epidemiology, computational biology, molecular biology, signaling, EAE/MS immunobiology, B and T cell biology, antibodies, developmental/stem cell biology, neuroimaging, myelination/repair, microbiome and metagenomic sequencing. The expectation is that basic research will be relevant to human disease. Mentors will guide and assist fellows in the preparation of applications for funding to continue career development or transition to independence. The goal of this fellowship pathway is to provide training needed to launch a clinically-oriented career as a sub-specialist in MS/Neuroimmunology and as a basic scientist focused on MS / Neuroimmunology.
Neuro-Infectious disease interest -- With faculty mentors in the UCSF Center for Meningitis and Encephalitis (https://encephalitis.ucsf.edu) and Divison of Neuroimmunology and Glial Biology, the fellowship program also offers applicants with a particular interest in neuro-infectious diseases to pursue neuro-ID focused research and clinical training, while also gaining clinical expertise in MS / Neuroimmunology
Requirements for all Clinician Training Fellowships:
MD or equivalent; board certified or board eligible in neurology or pediatric neurology; eligible for a California medical license
The UCSF MS and Neuroinflammation Center also offers highly-selective postdoctoral research positions in individual laboratories. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact individual principal investigators of laboratories to inquire about opportunities. Candidates are also invited to contact Dr. Gelfand (above) for general information.
