CFF Clinical Fellowship Awards (MD/DO)

CFF Clinical Fellowship Awards

Supports physicians pursuing advanced cystic fibrosis clinical and research fellowships through dedicated education or investigation pathways.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) Clinical Fellowship Awards support MD/DO physicians pursuing advanced training in cystic fibrosis subspecialties through two distinct tracks with a single February annual deadline. The Education and Training track provides $73,000 per year in salary and benefits plus a $2,000 NACFC conference supplement, covering one to two years of supervised clinical training. The Research track supports $105,000 per year in direct costs, also for one to two years, for fellows integrating laboratory or translational research into their CF training. No indirect costs are allowed on either track. Applications are submitted through awards.cff.org and reviewed by the Physician-Scientist Training Programs Committee using a peer-review process modeled on the NIH system; notifications typically arrive four to eight months after submission.

Longer career-development pathways extend the fellowship model for physicians who demonstrate exceptional promise. The LeRoy Matthews Physician-Scientist Award spans three to six years, beginning at $73,000 stipend plus $12,000 R&D in year one and escalating to $100,000 salary plus $33,000 for supplies by year six, with no indirect costs. The Harry Shwachman Clinical Investigator Award targets junior faculty, providing $100,000 per year in salary plus $33,000 per year in supplies for three years, also with no indirect costs. All four mechanisms share the February deadline and require the applicant's institution to formally submit through the CFF awards portal.

Applicants best positioned for these awards are MD/DO physicians at U.S. academic medical centers or research institutions who hold or are entering a recognized CF subspecialty fellowship. Independent scientists or non-physician researchers are not eligible for this fellowship cluster; those investigators should apply to the Research Grant or PTAC programs. The CF Foundation's review committees prioritize candidates with demonstrated clinical access to CF patients, a clear mentorship structure, and, for the Research track, preliminary data indicating the scientific rationale for the proposed work.