Call for MSCR IGNITE Applications!
A funding opportunity for Department of Medicine fellows
The Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) graduate degree program provides training for physician-scientists in the design, analysis, and conduct of high quality clinical and translational research.
The MSCR IGNITE Program is a UCLA Department of Medicine (DoM) program that offers funding support for up to 4 qualified fellows per year to take the MSCR graduate program. IGNITE provides 50% fellow salary for each of the two years and covers tuition for two years. The purpose of IGNITE is to develop a pipeline of talented physician scientist clinical researchers interested in clinical research/biomedical informatics who can successfully apply for and obtain NIH funding.
The Master of Science in Clinical Research Graduate Program is designed to develop physician scientists interested in clinical research or biomedical informatics to:
- Design and conduct clinical research (clinical trials and observational studies)
- Successfully compete for funding (e.g., foundation grants, NIH K23, or R01's in clinical research)
- Analyze data and interpret research results
- Present research at scientific meetings and in the medical literature
- Critique and interpret the research of others
This MSCR graduate program is offered by the Department of Computational Medicine in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. It is typically a two-year program, including a research thesis or capstone project, for those with career aspirations in academic medicine. (A one-year articulated degree program is available for applicants who are UCLA Medical Students.) The MSCR Program has options for a Clinical Research/Clinical Trials Track, a Biomedical Informatics Track, or an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Track.
APPLICATION STEPS:
- PRIOR TO APPLICATIONS SUBMISSION: Schedule a meeting with program Co-Directors
- Dr. Ranganath, MD, MS, RhMSUS. Email Dr. Ranganath.
- Dr. Elashoff, PhD. Email Dr. Elashoff
- Preferred Application Deadline: December 15, 2026
- Final Application Deadline: January 15, 2027
- Interviews are held February 2026
- Admission decisions are released by late February 2027
Visit the MS in Clinical Research webpage for complete admission requirements and further program/application details.
