NOTE: Recruitment for future classes of the LEAP fellowship, a collaboration between IDSA, PIDS, SHEA and CDC, is currently on hold due to funding constraints. The current class of 2023-2024 fellows will continue the LEAP fellowship with full support from the CDC and society partners. IDSA, PIDS, SHEA and CDC are eager to restart recruitment for future classes if resources become available in the future. Please continue to check back for updates.
The Leaders in Epidemiology, Antimicrobial Stewardship and Public Health (LEAP) Fellowship is a joint program offered by IDSA, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
LEAP trains clinical ID physicians (adult or pediatric) interested in an academic or clinical career with public health departments and public health agencies.
LEAP commences on July 1 and lasts one calendar year. The fellowship offers a training award of at least $100,000 and a modest conference/travel stipend. The LEAP Fellowship is competitively granted to four promising early or mid-career adult or pediatric ID physicians annually.
LEAP is built around the three main components described below, while also providing an individualized approach, tailored to the interests of each fellow:
Curriculum/Learning Objectives – Experiential learning around public health activities of local health departments and hospital infection prevention are the main focus of the training, which is supplemented by curated monthly lectures. Learn more about the LEAP curriculum.
Project(s) – Fellows develop and engage in a year-long research project (or potentially projects) alongside a public health department. Findings, if any, from these projects are expected to be presented at IDWeek post-fellowship. Learn more about past fellows and their research projects.
Mentorship – Fellows are deliberately paired with an expert LEAP mentor in their field of interest. Mentors support fellows in their LEAP activities, while also facilitating networking for professional development.
SUBSEQUENT CAREER OPPORTUNTIES: LEAP is proud to foster the next generation of infectious diseases leaders in public health, hospital epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship, giving them the hands-on experience needed to lead and collaborate across these disciplines of health care. Learn more about current and past fellows and their professional roles since the LEAP Fellowship.
ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATIONS: ID physicians who will have completed at least their first year of ID fellowship by July 1 of the upcoming academic year, as well as early and mid-career ID physicians looking to transition into a hybrid clinical/academic and public health career, are eligible for LEAP. Non-U.S. citizens may apply, but the fellowship is unable to provide visa support.
Applications open in the fall, usually September, and close at the end of December annually. Information about future application cycles will be posted as soon as possible. Learn more about eligibility and the application.
A LEAP Celebration
The LEAP Fellows deliver presentations on their year-long projects during IDWeek. Please find below photos of the 2023-2024 graduates receiving their completion certificates and a celebration after the event.
