Gilbert S. Omenn Fellowship
Now open!
2025 Call for Nominations
Nominations are open until 3:00 pm ET on June 3, 2025.
About the Fellowship
The overall purpose of the Gilbert S. Omenn Fellowship is to enable talented, early-career physician-scientists combining biomedical research, public health, and clinical medicine to participate actively in health- and medicine-related study processes of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies), promoting the integration of public health and medicine — both scientifically and through practice and policy. The Omenn Fellowship aims to foster a cadre of physician-scientists who will integrate biomedical research, population health, and health policy and will expand the nation’s capacity for research, leadership, and policy development that advances health.
The award is named for Dr. Gilbert S. Omenn, the Harold T. Shapiro Distinguished University Professor of the Gilbert S. Omenn Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, Internal Medicine, Human Genetics, and Public Health at the University of Michigan. He is a physician-scientist whose career bridges biomedical research, public health and public policy, and academic medical center leadership. This fellowship reflects the integrative role that is emblematic of his professional achievements. The Omenn Fellowship is part of the NAM Fellowships for Health Science Scholars program.
Fellows
Current Fellow
Previous Fellows
Description
The Omenn Fellowship is awarded for a two-year period. During this time, the fellow is expected to continue to work at their main academic post, while being assigned to a health- and medicine-related board of the National Academies. The boards are:
- Children, Youth, and Families,
- Food and Nutrition,
- Global Health,
- Health Care Services,
- Health Sciences Policy, and
- Population Health and Public Health Practice.
The fellowship requires a 10- to 20-percent commitment of time over two years and includes attendance at a one-week orientation to health policy, the NAM Annual Meeting in October and meetings of an assigned board. Domestic travel expenses are covered for participation in approved fellowship activities. Additionally, the fellow will participate actively in the work of an appropriate study committee or roundtable, including contributing to its reports or other products. Studies that would enable the fellow to contribute to the value of integrating medicine and public health will be identified.
This experience will introduce the Omenn Fellow to a variety of experts and perspectives, including legislators, government officials, industry leaders, executives of voluntary health organizations, scientists, and other health professionals. In addition, each fellow will be assigned an NAM member who will serve as a senior mentor during the two years of the fellowship.
A flexible research grant of $25,000 is awarded to each Omenn Fellow, which will be administered through the appropriate department in the fellow’s home institution to advance the fellow’s professional and academic career. This grant is not intended for use as a salary offset for the fellow, and no indirect costs are allowed.
Program Information
Eligibility & Selection Process
Eligibility
Nominees for the Omenn Fellowship must:
- Be nominated by a member of the NAM
- Hold an M.D. or D.O. with additional study in the medical sciences, public health, and/or public policy
- Be one-to-five years out from completion of residency and fellowship training or receiving the terminal doctoral degree, in an appropriate faculty position or its equivalent
- Be able to dedicate 10 to 20 percent of time to the fellowship for two years, including all the specified experiences
- Be endorsed by the department chair, institute director, or equivalent
- Hold U.S. citizen or permanent resident status at the time of the nomination
Selection Criteria
Nominees will be evaluated by an NAM-appointed committee based on their professional qualifications, scholarship, and quality of professional accomplishments as evidenced through publications and research grants, and relevance of current field of expertise to the work of the NAM.
Nomination Packet
A complete nomination packet must be submitted electronically through the online nomination system at https://namfellows.secure-platform.com/submission and will include the following documents:
- A nomination letter from a member of the NAM
- Three (3) letters of reference
- A supporting letter from the candidate’s department chair, institute director, or equivalent
- An up-to-date curriculum vitae
- A brief one-page bio
- A one-page personal statement that describes the candidate’s reasons for wanting to be a fellow for this particular program at this phase of their career
March 4, 2025
Call for nominations opens
June 3, 2025
Nomination packets are due at 3:00pm ET
July 25, 2025
Awardee is notified
September 9-11, 2025
Fellow orientation week at the NAM is held
October 19-20, 2025
Fellow is introduced to the Membership at the NAM Annual Meeting
Program Administration
Inquiries about the Omenn Fellowship should be directed to:
Yumi Phillips
Senior Program Officer
Health Policy Fellowships and Leadership Programs
National Academy of Medicine
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 334-1506
Email: [email protected]
The Omenn Fellowship was established in 2012 through an endowment from Gilbert S. Omenn, MD, PhD, and Martha Darling.
