FIRST Physician Research Fellowship
The Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types (FIRST) offers a fellowship that is intended to advance the careers of physicians interested in seeing patients affected with ichthyosis and other epidermal differentiation disorders and conducting research in these rare conditions. Individuals will be in the early stages of their career development. Each awarded fellowship, in the amount of $75,000 and renewable for a second year, provides an annual salary stipend and is intended for faculty at or below the Associate Professor level. The award may only be supplemented by department funds, NIH training grants, mentors’ R01/P01 grants, and other granting agencies providing support equivalent to a training grant. Award funds cannot be used for payment of indirect costs or for technicians. This is intended to be a hands-on grants.
All FIRST-funded research must be conducted in the U.S. under the sponsorship of a department/division of dermatology that is ACGME-approved for training in dermatology. FIRST encourages applications from geographies that are not currently well-served by physicians expert in the care and treatment of ichthyosis patients.
All FIRST-funded research must be conducted in the U.S. under the sponsorship of a department/division of dermatology that is ACGME-approved for training in dermatology. FIRST encourages applications from geographies that are not currently well-served by physicians expert in the care and treatment of ichthyosis patients.
Physician Research Fellowship FAQ’s
FIRST is offering an ichthyosis fellowship to identify and train the next generation of clinicians who will treat patients with ichthyosis and other epidermal differentiation disorders and who, through their own clinical and laboratory investigations, advance understanding of this group of diseases.
The successful candidate will be a Board certified or eligible dermatologist in a tertiary care academic institution and must be nominated by their institution and mentor, who will attest to the likelihood of his/her opportunities to continue his/her interest in patients with ichthyosis.
FIRST is committed to helping the sponsoring institution’s department become proficient in serving the EDD community through the training of this individual.
Requirements for the fellowship include:
The successful candidate will be a Board certified or eligible dermatologist in a tertiary care academic institution and must be nominated by their institution and mentor, who will attest to the likelihood of his/her opportunities to continue his/her interest in patients with ichthyosis.
FIRST is committed to helping the sponsoring institution’s department become proficient in serving the EDD community through the training of this individual.
Requirements for the fellowship include:
- Active involvement in a clinical setting likely to provide exposure to patients representing a wide range of diagnoses of epidermal differentiation disorders (ichthyoses). (IV, RXLI, EHK, LI, CIE, DD, ILC/Neth, EKV, KID, HI, PRP, PSS, PPK, syndromic disease plus ichthyosis). A “curriculum” assuring that the fellow will have training in the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and longitudinal follow-up of patients with ichthyosis is an essential component of this fellowship experience.
- Active involvement with FIRST and its related patient-support activities. This could include, but is not limited to, participation in biennial family or regional conferences; writing and editing website content, articles for the newsletter; monitoring medical content on the website; and handling medical questions received by the office or support network.
- 3. Conduct research directly related to ichthyosis as a PI or co-PI on IRB-approved translational or clinical trial involving patients with ichthyosis; laboratory research in the genetic cause or pathophysiology of a well-characterized group of patients with ichthyosis; or laboratory-based investigation focused on improved treatment.
Am I Eligible?
- MD; MD/PhD; or DO degree
- Completed training in a 3-year US dermatology residency program OR completed one year of 4-year US dermatology residency program
- Associate Professor or above is NOT eligible
- Must devote 75% of time related to this fellowship. Mentor has an academic appointment in dermatology or another program at the sponsoring institution that is approved by the dermatology chair.
- May only receive simultaneous salary support from department funds, NIH training grants, mentors’ R01/P01 grants, and other granting agencies providing support equivalent to a training grant.
Important Note: FIRST utilizes the NIH definitions of “principal investigator” and “co-investigator” to administer this policy, as found in the Glossary of NIH Terms.
How do I apply for the FIRST Fellowship?
FIRST will be accepting new applications for career development awards.
The 2026 FIRST Physician Research Fellowship application can be found here.
Application deadline is December 1, 2026.
Please email to Christine Wassel at cwassel@firstskinfoundation.org
The 2026 FIRST Physician Research Fellowship application can be found here.
Application deadline is December 1, 2026.
Please email to Christine Wassel at cwassel@firstskinfoundation.org
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