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General Obstetrics and Gynecology Research Fellowship

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Fellows dedicate 50% time to research training/research and 50% time to clinical activities. Research training can include completing the Master’s in Clinical Research Program within the Department of Epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Fellows engage in both retrospective analyses of existing data to enhance statistical skills and prospective data collection. Clinical activities include office-based prenatal care and gynecology at multiple faculty practices, gynecologic surgery, and labor and delivery coverage.

Application Process

Positions:

The fellowship includes 3-6 fellows.

How to apply:

Interested applicants are asked to:

Submit a current CV
Three letters of recommendation (including one from your current program director or department chair)
A 1–2-page personal statement describing your career and research objectives and interest in the fellowship

Applications will be reviewed on July 1, 2026 through December 30, 2026.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. High scientific and methodological quality (highest predictor)

Across UNC pilot mechanisms, the strongest predictor is a scientifically rigorous proposal.

Competitive applications generally demonstrate:

An important research question
Clear and focused aims
Strong scientific rationale
Appropriate methodology
Suitable statistical or analytical methods
Measurable outcomes
A credible plan for addressing risks

The NC TraCS Clinical and Translational Science Pilot Program explicitly expects projects to have high methodological and scientific quality and to answer important scientific questions.

2. Strong potential to generate future external funding (very high predictor)

This is one of the clearest recurring priorities across UNC internal funding.

UNC's Office of Research Development provides university-wide pilot funding specifically to help research teams become better positioned to pursue external support. Individual pilot programs similarly emphasize preliminary data that can lead to:

NIH grants
NSF grants
Federal agency funding
Foundation awards
Larger collaborative grants

The strongest proposal clearly identifies what preliminary evidence the UNC award will generate and how that evidence will support a specific next-stage funding strategy.

3. Innovation and pilot-study value (very high predictor)

UNC pilot funding is generally intended for projects that need early support to test a new idea rather than mature projects that could already compete for a full external grant.

Strong applications often involve:

Novel hypotheses
New research directions
Proof-of-concept studies
Innovative technologies
New methods
High-potential exploratory work

NC TraCS specifically notes that pilot support is not intended for large projects by established investigators that would otherwise be submitted as standard research grant applications.

4. Feasibility within the award's budget and timeframe (very high predictor)

A strong UNC pilot proposal is tightly scoped.

Competitive projects generally demonstrate:

Realistic recruitment
Existing access to data or samples
Available facilities
Achievable milestones
Appropriate budget
Completion within the funding period

UNC pilot programs frequently operate on short timelines and limited budgets. For example, the Ob-Gyn Pilot Research Awards require projects to be feasible within 12 months, while the GI Biology Pilot and Feasibility program normally provides a 12-month award period.

5. Clear preliminary-data and proof-of-concept strategy (very high predictor)

The most competitive internal grant application explains exactly what the pilot award will produce.

Strong outputs include:

Preliminary datasets
Technical validation
Feasibility evidence
Proof of concept
New analytical methods
Initial clinical or community findings

The proposal should connect these outputs directly to a future manuscript, larger study, or external grant application. UNC pilot programs commonly evaluate success through publications, preliminary data used in grant submissions, and subsequent funding.

6. Interdisciplinary collaboration and strong team science (high predictor)

Collaboration is a particularly important predictor for UNC's larger internal funding mechanisms.

The Office of Research Development explicitly works to:

Form research teams
Address “grand challenge” questions
Support idea development
Build interdisciplinary collaborations

The Creativity Hubs program is specifically designed to enable interdisciplinary teams to solve major societal problems.

7. Potential for meaningful societal, clinical, or public impact (high predictor)

Strong applications clearly explain why the research matters beyond the immediate study.

Depending on the program, competitive projects may demonstrate potential to:

Improve human health
Advance clinical practice
Address public-health problems
Improve communities
Solve environmental challenges
Strengthen the health and safety of workers
Benefit North Carolina populations

UNC's university-wide pilot portfolio explicitly supports the translation of research into social settings, while several specialized programs prioritize measurable health and societal outcomes.

8. Strong investigator or team capability (high predictor)

Reviewers need confidence that the applicant can execute the project.

Competitive applicants generally demonstrate:

Relevant expertise
Appropriate research experience
Prior scholarly productivity
Access to necessary resources
Complementary collaborators
Ability to complete the proposed work

For early-career investigators, potential and readiness may matter more than an extensive publication record. For multidisciplinary programs, the combined capability of the team is particularly important.

9. Strong publication and dissemination potential (high predictor)

UNC pilot funding is often evaluated by what happens after the award.

Important outputs include:

Peer-reviewed publications
Conference abstracts
Presentations
New grant applications
Follow-on funding

The UNC Core Center for Clinical Research explicitly tracks papers submitted, preliminary data used in grant applications, and abstracts presented at national or international meetings.

10. Responsiveness to feedback and strong resubmission strategy (high and unusually evidence-based predictor)

This is one of the most distinctive evidence-based predictors available for UNC.

An evaluation of the NC TraCS pilot program found that the initial funding rate was about 28%, while the funding rate among resubmissions was approximately twice as high. The analysis also reported a particularly high resubmission funding rate among assistant professors.

This suggests that competitive applicants should:

Use proposal-development support
Obtain methodological review
Address reviewer criticism carefully
Revise rather than abandon a strong proposal

Specialties

Gynecology

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must have a Medical Degree (MD/DO)
Completed an approved residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology and be eligible for independent licensure by the North Carolina Medical Board
Eligible candidates for oral board certification by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Be in good standing within their residency program
Have strong track record of professionalism

Fellows are selected based on their academic record, research interests, commitment to a career as an academic specialist (generalist) and demonstrated excellence in clinical care..

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 3009 Old Clinic Building, CB 7570, Chapel Hill, NC 27599

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