REACH Fellowship Program for Senior Residents

Research and Education in Advanced Clinical Health (REACH) Fellowship Program

The Research and Education in Advanced Clinical Health (REACH) Program is a competitively awarded fellowship program intended to provide one year of stipend support for post-graduate veterinarians who have recently completed or are completing their clinical residency training program (with or without a PhD) to conduct and/or participate in a translational research program. The REACH program can be used as a one year post-doctoral experience or as a transition into a formal PhD program.

Many residents pursue board certification in a field of veterinary medicine in anticipation of employment as a clinical specialist in an academic setting. However, some of these residents are also interested in advanced education and training in scientific research to prepare themselves scientifically for an academic clinical career.

Although professional clinical residency programs abound, there are few such research-intensive opportunities available. The REACH Fellowship Program is designed for individuals who would benefit from one to two years of intensive scientific research training, either through a post-doctoral experience or as an entry point into formal research training program (e.g., NIH T32).

The REACH Fellowship Program will be administered as a specifically targeted funding component of the Graduate Student Support Program (GSSP), providing one year of funding to the awardee.

To apply for consideration, REACH Fellowship Program candidates should complete and submit a 2024-2025  GSSP application, plus the following in .pdf format to: svmgssp@ucdavis.edu:

  • A copy of the application to the graduate program or group, if applicable.
  • A letter from the academic mentor with whom the candidate will be working during the year, indicating the mentor’s time and financial commitments to the candidate and an assessment of the candidate’s likelihood for success.
  • A mentoring plan, consistent in scope with the one year of support should also describe how the faculty mentor will provide research and career guidance and advice to the candidate, during this REACH year.
  • A funding plan which shows expected/anticipated funds from any source that the candidate intends to use to supplement their REACH Fellowship funding to support their research activities, and to pay for tuition and/or fees (if needed), as well as benefits.
  • A minimum of 75% effort is required on research. The remaining 25% may be spent in clinical practice (if desired).

A REACH Fellowship Program candidate may request up to $46,000 for stipend support (commensurate with the applicant’s level of experience) for a period not to exceed one year. Mentor is responsible for supplemental salary/benefits, research expenses, as well as tuition and/or fees (if needed). This fellowship funding will be awarded competitively to applicants with demonstrated interest in translational research.

There is a minimum 75% effort on a REACH research project with a salary of up to $46,000.  Supplementation is permitted up to but not exceeding the maximum allowed for a postdoctoral researcher with DVM and newly completed residency as deemed by UCD current salary scales. A mid-term research meeting will take place (at the 6th month point) to determine progress with the REACH fellow, mentor(s), and GSSP committee members (including Dr. Bannasch) to assess progress on REACH research for each fellow.

Applications are due February 12, 2024 and will be reviewed in March by the GSSP faculty review committee.  One award is anticipated and will be announced in April. The REACH Fellowship Program funding period starts when your residency is completed. The typical award period is October 1 through September 30.  Applicants with the highest likelihood to succeed, and those that fit School and REACH Fellowship Program priorities, will be most competitive for funding.