MS Clinical Mentorships

The National MS Society is committed to raising awareness of careers in MS care. See below for information about MS clinical mentorship for medical students and psychology graduate students.

In collaboration with Kessler Foundation, and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the National MS Society offers a three-week clinical mentorship experience for a psychology graduate student who has completed at least one year of their graduate program. The program will introduce diagnosis and comprehensive management of patients with multiple sclerosis and focus on neurocognitive, mood, and other psychosocial issues associated with multiple sclerosis. The students will virtually observe assessment and management strategies, learn about current research as it informs new treatment strategies, as well as spend time learning about other clinical aspects of care to include comprehensive neurological care and rehabilitation. Due to the continuing risk presented by Covid-19, the Society has determined there will be no in-person program this year.  This program will be held virtually starting June 14 through July 7, 2021.  Students will not receive a stipend due to the virtual model.

Highlights

• The mentorship is available June 14- July 7, 2021. It is full time Monday-Friday during regular business hours, with possible evening hours (no more than three or four nights over the course of the program). 
• Mentor experiences from two sites are being offered:
  • Kessler Foundation with campuses in East Hanover and West Orange New Jersey.
    • Over the course of the three weeks the student will spend time observing patient care and in discussion with researchers and clinicians at Kessler Foundation and Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation as well as one or more National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Partners in MS Care Centers for Comprehensive MS Care in northern NJ or NYC and will observe a range of mental health and associated activities in other settings (e.g. support group, wellness activity, educational program).
  • Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
    • Over the course of the three weeks the student will spend time observing patient care and in discussion with researchers and clinicians at John Hopkins Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as the John Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis Center and other related departments of John Hopkins. In addition, the student will observe a range of mental health and associated activities in other settings in the Baltimore area (e.g. support group, wellness activity, educational program).
  • Students being hosted at either site will be offered opportunities for learning from each other and through scientists and researchers from both locations and appropriate sessions being offered in the parallel medical student clinical mentorship program being offered simultaneously.

To apply

Applications are now open.  Application deadline April 15 at 11:59pm ET. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

View application instructions and form 

Program Guidelines
Applicants must complete the online application. Only complete applications with all the required information will be considered. The mentorship is open to all graduate students attending school who are U.S. citizens or candidates lawfully admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence.
 
Application Requirements

1. Complete application
2. Two reference letters    
3. Unofficial transcript

Questions? Contact Andrea Arzt.

The National MS Society offers a two-week virtual MS clinical mentorship program to students who have completed at least one year of medical school. The experience will expose students to the diagnosis and comprehensive management of MS under the tutelage of MS experts.    Our goals:

• to raise awareness of the challenges experienced by people with MS
• to generate interest in a career in MS care

The student will work with neurologists and other clinicians specializing in MS (e.g., physiatrists, nurses,  rehab therapists, etc.) and observe many aspects of MS specialty care.

Over the course of the two weeks the student will spend time with one or more MS specialists. Click here to read descriptions of each mentorship site in 10 different US cities.

The mentorship takes place Monday-Friday running June 14^th through the 25^th  during regular business hours.

To apply

Applications are closed for 2021. If you're interested in the program for 2022, please email piper.reynolds@nmss.org

Note: As a part of the MS Clinical Mentorship Program, we will open up the virtual didactic presentations to any medical student interested in MS, whether or not they are in the program.  If you are interested in receiving information about how to join the didactic presentations only, please email Piper Reynolds and enter "Didactic Presentation Interest" into the subject line.

Questions? Contact Piper Reynolds.

• July 14, 2020 - Understanding MS: What It Is and What It Is Not. View the recording here.
• July 16, 2020 - Disease Modification for Multiple Sclerosis. View the recording here.
• July 21, 2020 - MS Across the Life Span. View the recording here.
• July 23, 2020 - A Path Forward: Understanding Healthcare Disparities and Implicit Bias to Improve Health Outcomes. View the recording here.