Current Status: Applications to be a LEAP Fellow for the 2023-2024 academic year are currently closed.
Future Cycles: Information about future application cycles will be posted as soon as possible. Please send an email to Michele Wagner for information about LEAP.
ELIGIBILITY AND PROGRAM TIMING: The LEAP Fellowship is a one-year program from July through June of the following year.
ID physicians (either adult or pediatric) 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. Fellows must be based locally at the hospital and health department they will work with to ensure active engagement.
FELLOWS SUPPORT: LEAP provides a training award of $100,000 and a separate travel/conference attendance stipend (reimbursable based on receipts) up to $6,000. Details are below:
STIPEND — The LEAP Fellowship training award ($100,000) is intended to cover at least 75% of the fellow’s salary for the duration of the one year of training to protect dedicated time for the training.
TRAVEL & CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE — The fellowship includes support funding for one trip to the IDWeek conference at the end of the fellowship and two optional trips to other conferences through the year relevant to public health, epidemiology or antimicrobial stewardship training (determined at the discretion of the fellowship coordinators). The conference/travel award is not expected to exceed $6,000 and is reimbursable based on receipts.
RELEVANT ADDITIONAL TRAINING — Any residual LEAP Fellowship funds remaining after salary support may be used for training relevant to public health, epidemiology or antimicrobial stewardship (relevancy determined at the discretion of the fellowship coordinators).
Summer — PRE-APPLICATION — Prior to submitting an application, LEAP Fellowship applicants should do the following:
Establish contact with your health department (can be state, county, city) and share your interest in the LEAP Fellowship. You can ask about ongoing or planned projects that could be used as the LEAP project. Confirm the health department’s willingness to sponsor your application and provide a letter of support.
Inform your ID divisional leadership of your interest in the LEAP Fellowship and confirm their support of your application, including their ability to provide a letter of support.
Discuss the LEAP Fellowship with hospital epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship leadership at your institution and confirm they are willing to support your participation in both programs as part of the fellowship and can provide letters of support.
Fall — APPLICATION OPENS — The application portal formally opens in early September annually.
September through December, candidates prepare their applications. Applicants should leave ample time to update required application documents, obtain all required letters of recommendation and propose a feasible project. The following items are required for a complete application:
Letters of support from each:
Health department sponsor
Divisional leadership
Joint letter from hospital epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship leaders
CV
Biosketch
Project proposal
Career development plan
October — An informational session is typically held at IDWeek and provides an overview of the LEAP Fellowship and time for Q&A.
Winter – Applications close and selections are made.
The review process takes about 6 weeks. New awardees are usually announced the first week of March for a July 1 start date.
Q. When does the fellowship program begin?
A. The LEAP Fellowship begins July 1 of each year and ends June 30.
Q. When will the application process be open to candidates?
A. Information about future application cycles will be posted as soon as possible.
Q. When will the application process close?
A. End of December
Q. When will applicants be notified that they have been awarded the fellowship?
A. Early March
Q. Will funding be available with award of the fellowship?
A. Yes, funding is at least $100,000 per fellowship.
Q. How many fellowships will be awarded?
A. Four fellowships will be awarded each year.
Q. Do international applicants, including Canadians, qualify to receive the fellowship?
A. Fellowships are open to U.S.-based programs and health departments only. LEAP fellows can be international students training in the U.S. who plan to stay in the U.S. following training.
Q. Does the fellowship provide visa sponsorship?
A. The LEAP Fellowship is not set up to provide visa support. Training institutions are expected to provide the visa support necessary for awardees for the entirety of the LEAP academic year.
Q. What is the time commitment for the fellowship during the academic year?
A. Applicants must be able to protect 75% of their time for the fellowship.
