Our two-year emergency medicine research fellowship is certified by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) to train physicians to become independent investigators and nationally recognized leaders in emergency medicine research, capable of conducting externally funded clinical or health services research.
By choosing the postgraduate research training program at UW, fellows have the opportunity to participate in a mentored research training program complete with didactic and experiential learning and supported by a dedicated team of researchers and staff.
You will acquire the core research skills necessary to prepare you for a successful career as an independent physician scientist, including grant and manuscript preparation, research conduct, relationship development and collaboration, and research ethics.
At the end of the program, fellows will have completed a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI) degree and will be well-prepared to obtain a federal career development award.
Academic Requirements for Successful Completion
- Complete an advanced research degree (unless already obtained)
- Complete two research studies, including IRB application, data collection, data analysis, and publication
- Participate significantly in the resident research curriculum, including delivering short lectures and hosting journal clubs
- Contribute to coordination efforts for the annual Wisconsin Emergency Medicine Research Forum held for regional healthcare professionals and learners in our specialty each spring
The emergency medicine research fellowship at UW-Madison meets program guidelines established by SAEM in regards to milestones in curricular elements, faculty support recommendations, and career development opportunities that ensure the fellow will receive exceptional training and mentorship as junior faculty.
Compensation & Benefits
Comprehensive health and supplemental benefits, a competitive salary, travel funds, and education support are offered.
Program Details
Advanced Degree: Yes
Accreditation: SAEM
Available Positions: 1-2
Program Length: 2 years
Start Date: July 1, 2025
NRMP Match: No
Appointment: Clinical Instructor
Moonlighting: Available
Wisconsin is the best state for physicians, according to Medscape and Becker’s Healthcare (2024).
The University of Wisconsin Means Excellence in Research
The fellow will join a storied institution internationally recognized for its vast research enterprise, collaborative culture, and myrid resources available to physician scientists:
The University of Wisconsin standard of excellence
The fellow will benefit from the depth and breadth of UW–Madison’s world-class research enterprise. UW–Madison is ranked 28th worldwide by the Center for World University Rankings (2023) out of the 20,000 institutions measured. UW is a research powerhouse with annual expenditures exceeding $1.5 billion, a figure that puts us inside the 8th in the nation among universities for volume of research. About half expenditures come from federal awards.
With active programs in basic, clinical and public health science, the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health similarly has a tradition of pioneering research, receiving nearly $641 million in research funding in 2022-23. It has also consistently ranked among U.S. News and World Report’s best medical schools for primary care and research. Grants obtained by SMPH faculty constituted 43% of total grants to UW–Madison during FY23.
The Department of Emergency Medicine is also a competitive leading research institution within our specialty. The fellow will work directly with highly recognized and awarded researchers nationwide in emergency medicine.
Robust research study coordination resources
The Department of Emergency Medicine operates a cutting-edge ED Research study Coordination (EDRC) service that places highly-trained staff in the emergency department environment to screen, consent, and enroll patients and visitors into research studies and complete research protocols.
The EDRC Program has worked on research projects funded by federal, foundation, and industry sponsors and with researchers from a wide variety of Schools, Colleges and Departments across the UW–Madison campus. Studies are not limited to emergency medicine and can have any funding source.
Collaborative programs across an extensive academic campus
Based at one of the top public universities in the U.S., the Emergency Medicine Research Fellowship is able to leverage the tremendous resources across the UW–Madison campus. The fellow will benefit from the collaborative, interdisciplinary spirit at UW, which promotes connectedness across an extensive network of exceptional research programs. And the Department often works closely with institutional partners, including the Department of Radiology, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, College of Engineering, and School of Nursing.
Emergency Medicine is also closely integrated into the NIH-funded UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. Through the interdisciplinary nature of the ICTR (supporting the UW schools of medicine and public health, nursing, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine and the college of engineering), its mission is to change the UW culture from “silos” to collaborations among ICTR members and within the entire university. This environment strongly supports fellows as they develop into emergency care researchers who are able to employ a variety of methodologies to answer important questions and contribute to major advancements in clinical and translational research.
Internationally recognized hospital system dedicated to remarkable patient care
At UW, fellows join a network of renowned hospitals and clinics staffed by experienced providers and professionals who are leaders in their field.
UW Health Hospitals, which includes both University Hospital on the UW–Madison campus and East Madison Hospital, has been ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin for 11 years in a row by U.S. News and World Report. University Hospital is also recognized for being one of 12 centers in the country that is verified as an American College of Surgeons Adult and Pediatric Level 1 trauma center that also includes an American Burn Association verified Burn Center in one location.
UW Health and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health are regional referral centers that draw a diverse population of patients from five states. The research fellow can expect to encounter patients with a wide array of clinical problems representing numerous subspecialty areas of emergency medicine.
Fellowship Director
Michael Pulia, MD, PhD
Associate Professor (Tenure)
Director, Emergency Care for Infectious Diseases Research Program
Dr. Pulia leads the Emergency Care for Infectious Diseases (EC-ID) health services research program, which focuses on improving the diagnosis, management, and prevention of infectious diseases in the emergency department and downstream care settings, with an emphasis on systems engineering guided interventions and learning health systems. His work aimed at reducing diagnostic error and improving antibiotic stewardship has been supported with funding from both intra- and extramural sources, including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Wisconsin Partnership Program.
Dr. Pulia is a regularly invited speaker at national and international conferences, including the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, IDWeek, and the International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine. Dr. Pulia has over 80 publications, including invited editorials in high-impact journals such as Pediatrics, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, and Annals of Emergency Medicine.
In 2022, Dr. Pulia was named a National Academy of Medicine/John A. Hartford Foundation Scholar in Diagnostic Excellence for his work aimed at improving diagnosis of pneumonia in older adults.
How to Apply
Email your CV and a personal statement detailing your research interests and career aspirations to Fellowship Director Dr. Michael Pulia at mspulia@medicine.wisc.edu. Letters of reference will be required at a later point.
Candidates must have graduated in good standing from an ACGME-accredited emergency medicine residency program and must be board-certified or board-eligible in emergency medicine.