Commissioner's Fellowship Program

FDA invites outstanding healthcare professionals, scientists, and engineers to apply to its two-year Fellowship Program, where they will receive regulatory science training and the chance to conduct cutting-edge research on targeted scientific or regulatory issues under the mentorship of an FDA senior scientist.

Preceptors and Coursework

The Fellowship Program combines rigorous graduate-level coursework with the development of a regulatory science research project.  Under the guidance of an FDA senior scientist Preceptor committed to mentoring, Fellows will explore a specific aspect of FDA regulatory science. This experience can be in a biology, physics or engineering lab, in a clinical review team, in biostatistics, informatics, epidemiology, risk analysis, or in other aspects of FDA science. 

To learn more about the proposed projects, please visit the Preceptor page.

The coursework is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the science behind regulatory review, encompassing FDA activities across foods, drugs, devices, biologics, cosmetics, and tobacco. Coursework covers public policy, FDA law, epidemiology, clinical trials and design, and statistics. 

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must have a Doctoral level degree (M.D., D.O., D.V.M., D.D.S., D.P.M., Pharm.D., or Ph.D.) to be eligible; however, applicants with a Bachelor's or Master's degree in an engineering discipline will also be considered. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals of the U.S., or have been admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence at the time their applications are submitted. Applicants cannot be current FDA employees or FDA contractors (such as ORISE fellows).  Applicants must have received their doctoral degree (for Engineering applicants, their Bachelor's or Master's) within 7 years of the start date. NOTE: All degree requirements (including thesis defense) must be complete before the program start date.

Key Dates

• The application period for the CFP Class of 2012 has closed.   

• Tentative application period for the CFP Class of 2013:  December through March - Applications Accepted 

• Late June/July – Interviews

• July through August – Applicants Notified

• October – Program Start Date 

Benefits of Working at the FDA 

Fellows train at FDA's White Oak campus in Silver Spring, Maryland or at other FDA facilities. Salaries are competitive, and travel funds are available to attend scientific meetings. We offer an excellent benefits package including health insurance, retirement, and paid vacation leave.