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The principal mission of the Women’s Reproductive Health Research at Stanford (WRHRS) Program is to provide state-of-the-art, mentored, multidisciplinary research career development for outstanding junior clinician-scientists who will impact and improve women’s reproductive health. Diversity of thought, experience and approach are fundamental principles of our Program.

The WRHRS Program bridges clinical care with excellence in basic, clinical and translational research to address the national shortage of qualified investigators in this discipline. The Program includes a structured training plan of sufficient duration to achieve independence, individualized didactic education based on skills, competencies, and needs, extensive team-based mentoring, hands-on research, and protected time with immersion in a vibrant research community. Scholars will pursue one of seven Research Focus Areas:

1. Maternal-Child Health & Epidemiology,
2. Reproductive Biology,
3. Gynecologic Health Across the Lifespan,
4. Gynecologic Oncology,
5. Innovative Technology
6. Social Medicine and Health Equity

Each Scholar will have a multidisciplinary mentor team as well as access to a wealth of resources and the rigorous reproductive research infrastructure of the OB/GYN Department and beyond. The K12 Program will provide a seamless transition for the K12 scholars through the career development process to an independent investigator.

Successful applicants will demonstrate exceptional skills in their fellowship research program and/or in their early junior faculty experience. A strong commitment to an academic research career in women’s reproductive health research will be an important qualifying characteristic, exemplified by publications.

Candidates must: 1) be planning an academic research career; 2) physicians holding the M.D. or D.O. degree; 3) have completed postgraduate residency training in obstetrics and gynecology; 4) be no more than 4 years after attaining board eligibility in their subspecialty; 5) have completed or be in the final year of postdoctoral fellowship training in obstetrics and gynecology, if the candidate has chosen to subspecialize, or advanced training in clinical research; 6) be able to devote at least 9 person months (or equivalent to 75%) of full-time professional effort to conducting research and research career development (or 50% if surgical heavy subspecialist); and 7) not be or have been PI on an R01, R29, U01/U10, subproject of a Program Project, Center grant, or individual mentored or non-mentored career development award (e.g., K01, K02, K08, K22, K23, K24, K25, K99).

The number and type of appointments available in any one year depend in part on the number of previously appointed Scholars continuing in the Program. We currently have one open position starting July 2027. Continuation of participation in the WRHRS Program will depend on evidence of progress toward independence and on continuing need for support.

1. Cover Letter (optional)
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Evidence of M.D., or D.O. degree with completion of postgraduate residency
4. Evidence of US citizenship or permanent residency
5. 3 Letters of Reference
6. Statement of Research. 3-page outlining your research plan, career goals, and potential mentors
7. If Lead Mentor has been identified, a letter detailing their commitment to the Scholar and available resources.

All applications are reviewed by the Selection Committee, using a process modeled on NIH peer review. All applications must be submitted as a single PDF file to cseckel@stanford.edu and vwinn@stanford.edu. Applications will be reviewed starting August 1^st, 2026 and considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Interviews will be conducted starting in August 2026. 

For questions, please contact Dr. Virginia D. Winn at vwinn@stanford.edu.