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The Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement RISE (Ferguson RISE) Fellowship Program is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded program designed to support public health research and professional development in infectious diseases and promote health. The fellowship focuses on increasing knowledge and interest in public health research careers among graduate students. 

Ferguson RISE Fellows complete mentored research experiences at sites across the nation.  Ferguson RISE Fellowship's partnering institutions include: the CDC, Howard University, Kennedy Krieger (lead agency), Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Morehouse School of Medicine, City University of New York (CUNY) School of Public Health, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, and Olive View-UCLA Education & Research Institute. Each year, we invite new collaborations with other universities and state public health departments where fellows may be placed. Focal research areas include Advanced Molecular Detection techniques and Wastewater Surveillance. 

Beginning in 2026, the Ferguson RISE Fellowship and the Olive View-UCLA Education & Research Institute  will co-sponsor the 12-month Ferguson IDNet Emergency Medicine Emerging Infections Fellowship, offered to early-career faculty physicians. The goal of the fellowship is to perpetuate the UCLA Emergency Department’s legacy in bridging emergency medicine and public health. 

Eligibility

Ferguson RISE Fellowship

  • Applicants for the summer Ferguson RISE Fellowship must be currently enrolled in a or recently graduated from a graduate program in a medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary, public health, allied health, or social sciences program.
  • 12-month Ferguson RISE Fellowship applicants must meet one of the following eligibility criteria:
    • Completed a graduate program within the 12 months preceding the fellowship start date OR
    • A doctoral candidate who has completed all graduate requirements (coursework, preliminary exams, research proposal)  except for the dissertation (i.e., all but dissertation).
  • The Ferguson RISE Fellowship is for talented graduate scholars with at least a 3.0 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale.
  • Applicants must be able to commit to participating in the fellowship full-time for the length of the Ferguson RISE Fellowship. Some mandatory program activities require in-person attendance.
  • Applicants must be a US citizen, US National, or permanent resident.

Emergency ID NET Emerging Infections Fellowship

Applicants must meet one of the following eligibility criteria:

  • Current 4th year Emergency Medicine residents in an ACGME-accredited residency program
  • Physicians who have completed a 3-year accredited program with at least one year of work experience

Timeline

Ferguson RISE Fellowship

Application submission period: 3 November 2025 to January 31, 2026

Interviews and application status notification: March 2026

Summer fellowship research term: May 25, 2026 to July 24, 2026 

  • In-person orientation May 25 to May 29, 2026
  • Final research symposium during last week of program, July 30, 2026 (tentative)

12-month fellowship term: May 25, 2026 to May 21, 2027

  • In-person orientation May 25, 2026 to –June 5, 2026
  • Final research symposium during last week of the program, May 20, 2027

Emergency ID NET Emerging Infections Fellowship

In-person orientation May 25, 2026 to –June 5, 2026

Final research symposium during last week of the program, May 20, 2027

Curriculum

Ferguson RISE Fellowship

  • Mentored research experience
  • Academic and professional coaching
  • Research and Scientific Writing Groups
  • Research seminar series
  • Develop and present research at a formal closing symposium
  • Fellows at Kennedy Krieger may also gain clinical experience

Emergency ID NET Emerging Infections Fellowship

  • UCLA School of Public Health Master’s program epidemiology training (unless already obtained, including similar degrees)
  • Participation in ongoing research projects
  • Collaboration with CDC and Ferguson fellows
  • Peer-reviewed publication
  • Support to present research at a national conference
  • Direction on a new project and writing a grant proposal
  • Didactic advanced ID instruction, including clinical ID, pharmacology, tropical medicine, and mass causality ID inpatient ID consultation, microbiology laboratory (focused on rapid diagnostics), and UCLA Global Health Program (https://globalhealth.med.ucla.edu/; optional) rotations

Benefits

Ferguson RISE Fellowship

  • Stipends provided by Kennedy Krieger Institute and are based on federal rates for the fellow's academic level
    • 12-Month Post-Doc: $61,428
    • 12-Month Post-Master's: $44,252
    • Summer Pre-Doc: $9,870
    • Summer Post-Master's: $8,936
    • Summer Pre-Master's:  $8,001
    • Additional details are available upon acceptance
  • Housing
    • Housing is provided during in-person orientation
      • Summer Program: 1 week
      • 12-month Program: 2 weeks
    • Summer Program: all housing expenses are covered
    • 12-month Program: Housing allowance may be available up to $15,000 annually based on the geographic region of appointment.
    • Any fellow moving to a new geographic region for an appointment may receive up to $1,200 for relocation expenses.   
  • Sponsorship to attend a national scientific meeting

Emergency ID NET Emerging Infections Fellowship

  • Annual stipend of $70,000
  • Housing allowance of $25,000
  • Travel stipend of $5,000
  • Laptop/software stipend of $1,200
  • Compensation of approximately $185/hour for emergency department attending physician responsibilities
  • UCLA School of Public Health tuition
  • Healthcare benefits

How to Apply

Ferguson RISE Fellowship

You will be required to provide:

  • Resume
    • PDF format
    • File titled last name_first name_resume
  • Unofficial undergraduate transcript
    • PDF format
    • File titled last name_first name_ugtranscript
    • Includes your name and name of institution
  • Unofficial graduate transcript
    • PDF format
    • File titled last name_first name_gradtranscript
    • Includes your name and name of institution
  • Name, email and phone number for at least two faculty references

Emergency ID NETEmerging Infections Fellowship

Submit your application

You will be required to provide:

  • Application including 3 essays
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Letter of Intent
  • References
  • Three letters of recommendation from:
    • Residency Program Director
    • Research Mentor
    • Mentor

Policies 

  • Applications submitted after the application deadline will not be considered.
  • Program Staff will not make any changes to submitted applications. Please review your application carefully before submitting it, especially the email addresses you enter for your referees.
  • All activities are contingent on the availability of federal funds.
  • Program dates may be subject to adjustments.
  • Fellowship programs require attendance on full-time basis. Some program activities require in-person attendance.
  • For questions about the Ferguson RISE Fellowship, don't hesitate to email Ferguson_Fellowship@KennedyKrieger.org.
  • Please visit this website, the CDC website , and the EMERGEncy ID NET website for up-to-date information on program modifications.