Charles and Muriel Kornheiser Clinical Scholars Program
The Charles and Muriel Kornheiser Clinical Scholars Program at St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center (Roslyn, NY) is part of a donation by the Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund.
This clinical scholarship program aims to provide three paid research internships each year to college graduates who aspire to a medical career. Candidates from underrepresented minorities (URM) in medicine are encouraged to apply.
*URM. Association of American Medical Colleges: Underrepresented in medicine means those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population. In the U.S., this generally includes students who identify as African Americans, Native Americans, (American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians), and Hispanic Americans.
About the Clinical Scholars Program
Scholars selected for the program are paired with a physician mentor who is an active clinical and research physician at St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center. This full time, paid position will focus on research activities and clinical observations in cardiovascular medicine at St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center. Scholars will collaborate with a research team to contribute to scientific publications, as a result of research activities, and will attend a national scientific meeting.
Through structured lectures and journal club, scholars will learn about research methodology to strengthen critical thinking skills and to supplement their research work. Scholars will be trained to analyze various cardiac imaging modalities including Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), CT, MRI and coronary angiograms.
They will also have the opportunity to interact with patients through their research work. Opportunities exist for the scholars to build networks of formal and informal contacts in the medical community that will provide support as they seek future career goals.
- Able to commit to the Clinical Scholars program for one year
- Graduates who received a baccalaureate degree or a current senior planning to graduate
- GPA of 3.6 or higher
- Plans to pursue an advanced degree in biomedical sciences
The Clinical Scholars Program application provides instructions for completion and submission.
Send your completed application to: SFHscholarsprogram@chsli.org
- Resume/CV
- Unofficial copy of transcript to date
- Personal essay
- Two/three letters of recommendation
Application submission deadline: February 1, 2026
Interviews will be held Feb-April 2026
Candidates’ selection date: April-May 2026
Program start date: July 1, 2026
Administrative Office of the Charles and Muriel Kornheiser Clinical Scholars Program
Call: 833-CSP-SFH4 (833-277-7344)
Email: SFHscholarsprogram@chsli.org
The Charles and Muriel Kornheiser Clinical Scholars Program has been a valuable step in my journey toward medicine. Through clinical research, journal clubs, learning medical image analysis, and shadowing physicians at St. Francis Hospital, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of how research informs patient care. Observing doctors has highlighted the importance of teamwork, careful decision-making, and the variety of paths one can take in medicine. The mentorship and guidance I have received here has made this experience both educational and inspiring, and has reinforced my commitment to pursuing a career in medicine.
Zuha Anjum, B.S. Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Wesleyan University, Class of 2025
I’ve always been interested in clinical research and enjoy interacting with patients but loved the innovation and inquisitiveness of research so clinical research felt like the perfect mix. The Kornheiser Clinical Scholars Program stands out to me because of the mix of clinical research at a premier heart center and the shadowing opportunities in multiple specialties. I find neuroscience fascinating but it is also all I ever knew, before this program I was never exposed to other specialties. By rotating shadowing it gives me the chance to experience an array of specialties-- some highly specialized ones I wouldn’t even think such as cardiac oncology. Additionally, the opportunity to network with doctors who practice clinically but are still involved in clinical research was special to me since that is my ideal career I’m aiming for. Going from meeting with these doctors to understand their idea, to developing a plan, learning how to choose proper statistical methods for analysis, and finally drawing conclusions has been a wonderful experience. I’ve never followed a research project all the way through and it’s taught me so much about the intentionality researchers must have from way before the project even begins. Working at St. Francis has given me a real look at what being a doctor truly means—collaborating with skilled doctors, seeing how they balance research, surgery, and patient care, and learning the importance of teamwork and second opinions. Everyone’s been incredibly passionate and welcoming which helped tremendously. Watching their dedication and versatility has inspired me to be a physician who not only treats patients but also learns and works alongside others to improve care. This experience has made me more confident in my decision to pursue medicine and shown me the kind of doctor I want to become.
Seforah Teferi, B.S. Neuroscience, Northeastern University, Class of 2025
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