Fellowship & Career Development Grants

The Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF) mentored fellowships, training opportunities and career development awards to generate interest in Parkinson’s research and patient care among basic scientists and clinicians and to encourage these young scientists and clinicians to devote their talents to the study of Parkinson’s.  PDF offers five fellowships - three through its own programs and two others through collaborations with other organizations.

PDF Sponsored Fellowships

PDF's research program includes Postdoctoral Fellowships for Basic Scientists, Postdoctoral Fellowships for Neurologists as well as Summer Fellowships for advanced undergraduates and graduate and medical students.

PDF grants one-year Postdoctoral Fellowships for Basic Scientists to young scientists, fresh from their Ph.D. training, to study the cause(s) of and cure for Parkinson’s at major research institutions.  For young clinicians who have completed their neurology residency and are seeking clinical research experience, PDF offers the Postdoctoral Fellowships for Neurologists.  Most of the graduates of this latter program return to their home states and continue to lead — and in many cases, to create — exemplary programs in movement disorders.

PDF Co-Sponsored Fellowships

Two additional mentorship initiatives that are funded by PDF are competitive fellowships administered by other organizations.  The prestigious Parkinson Study Group (PSG) administers the Mentored Clinical Research Award and the American Academy of Neurology Foundation administers the PDF/AAN Foundation Clinician-Scientist Development Award.

Are you interested in becoming a PDF-funded fellow?

Read about Applying to the Fellowship and Career Development Program.