Returning in 2025, the Nursing Research Fellowship is designed to increase capacity and infrastructure for building a research culture that fosters a spirit of inquiry for developing new knowledge and innovation in staff nurses. The Fellowship follows a practicum model as an approach to learning the skills for conducting research guided by nurse scientists and mentors on a research project. The practicum provides a forum to actively participate in IRB-approved research at MSK and apply knowledge of research principles with a seasoned researcher. In collaboration with nurse scientists from our partner institutions, the Fellowship expands the nurse’s ability to investigate topics found in daily practice, empowering them to influence policies and change patient outcomes. This effort develops MSK’s future research leaders and enhances the research culture at each of our member institutions.
The full program timeline is 12-18 months from the first class to the required final presentation. A total of 18 protected or indirect days are required to attend formal classes and for independent assignments. The researcher is either collaborating on a Mentor’s program of research, or on a related study of their research. Each accepted Fellow actively participates in an established program of research and applies their knowledge of research principles with a Nurse Scientist.
Program Goals
- Learning conceptual and empirical foundations, study designs and methodological approaches, and statistical tools for collecting study data.
- Preparing to submit research projects through the institution’s ethical review processes and obtain Internal Review Board (IRB) approval to conduct the study.
- Generating research on topics that align with the institution’s mission and strategic goals.
- Leading a small research study in collaboration with experienced Nurse Scientists.
- Providing ongoing scientific assistance for external dissemination of research findings at professional conferences and journal submissions.
How to Apply
Nurses from the following institutions are invited to apply:
Hospital for Special Surgery (New York, NY), Baystate Health (Springfield, Mass), Cook County Medical Center (Chicago, IL), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Seattle, WA), NYCHHC Metropolitan Hospital (New York, NY), Hartford Healthcare Cancer Center (Hartford, CT).
Prospective candidates must complete the online application which includes an abstract of their research interest and reasons for applying to the Nursing Research Fellowship. This application is the sample that we will use to assess the strength of an applicant’s writing skills. Take time to develop your application, ideate a proposed project, and focus the relationship of your idea to organizational goals. The Abstract is the final step in the process.
The scoring criteria for the application was adapted from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and will be applied to your project overview. Be sure you have included sufficient information using the score sheet - PDF as a guide.
Applicants will be contacted for an interview with a combined group of Nurse Scientists. During this meeting, the candidate will have the opportunity to discuss their project with the Nurse Scientists. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and interview meetings will be scheduled upon submission. Early application is strongly encouraged.
For more information, download Intro, Expectations, and Schedule
Fellowship Prerequisites
Required documents must be completed prior to submission to be uploaded with the application. Incomplete applications will NOT be reviewed.
Applicants are required to obtain Endorsement Letters from frontline and/or Executive Nurse Leaders acknowledging their support for the research project, it’s alignment with institutional strategic goals, and significance to Nursing. You should seek input from colleagues and key stakeholders in determining a research project or idea.
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Curriculum Vitae
Submit a current resume or CV. -
Letter of Support & Endorsement Form
Applicants should seek input from colleagues and key stakeholders in determining a research project or idea. Applicant are required to obtain Endorsement Letters from frontline and/or Executive Nurse Leaders acknowledging their support for the research project, it’s alignment with institutional strategic goals, and significance to Nursing- Download Letter of Support & Endorsement PDF
Modules from the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) are required for all investigators who participate in research
These modules are free and available to employees of all member institutions; nurses may register with their email addresses and affiliation. These courses MUST be completed before acceptance to the Fellowship program is official. (Specific CITI courses required may vary by institution.)
Go to: citiprogram.org to register.
Application
The Applications for the 2025-26 Nursing Research Fellowship are open.
Holly DeFeo, MSN, RN, OCN, NPD-BC
Holly is the Manager of Nursing Education & Professional Development, Quality & Patient Safety for the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute. A graduate of the University of Connecticut and the University of Hartford, she has spent 27 years in oncology nursing and education. Her background includes roles as a medical-oncology RN, assistant nurse manager, Oncology Nurse Educator, and Professional Development Educator. She also served as adjunct faculty for Charter Oak State College. Holly has received the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing (2006) and the Florence S. Wald Award for Outstanding Contributions to Nursing Practice (2025). She is nationally certified in Nursing Professional Development and Oncology and currently serves as a Director-at-Large for the Central Connecticut Oncology Nursing Society.
Ronny Espinosa, BSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC
Ronny manages outpatient specialty clinics at Cook County Health, focusing on quality improvement, patient-centered outcomes, and linking evidence-based practice with clinical operations. His experience spans inpatient care, infection prevention with public health agencies, and clinical research on COVID-related medications. He has also served as a nursing professor and program director. Ronny holds a BSN and a Family Nurse Practitioner degree from Chamberlain University. He aims to expand his leadership in healthcare innovation and improve access, equity, and outcomes for diverse patient populations through the Fellowship.
Michelle Graham, MSN, RN, CNAE, PMGT-BC, CDP, CMCN
Michelle is a Senior Instructor at Cook County Health with 32+ years of nursing experience across med-surg, pain management, managed care, and education. She has spent the past nine years working in Nursing Professional Development and Research. She holds multiple certifications, including Pain Management, Dementia Care, Faith Community Nursing, Managed Care, and Nursing Assistant Educator. She is pursuing Dean Certification through the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education. Michelle also serves as an HIV Counselor, Grief Support Specialist, and Youth Mental Health First Aid Responder, reflecting her whole-person, community-centered approach to care.
Christina Gunderson, MSN, RN
Christina transitioned into nursing after a career in mortgage compliance. She holds a BS in Psychology (University of Washington) and an MSN (Johns Hopkins). After working in Acute Care and transitioning to outpatient Oncology following an injury, she joined the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, where she discovered research infusion nursing. She has served as an RN Trial Coordinator and a Nursing Supervisor, presenting an abstract at ONS. Missing direct research involvement, she returned as a Clinical Research Nurse and hopes to strengthen her research skills and contribute to equitable access to clinical trials.
Kiersten O’Dellick, RN
Kiersten has been a nurse for eleven years, with the past six in oncology. She trained in a small rural Pennsylvania hospital before working as a travel nurse, eventually joining Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle. She advanced from clinical nurse coordinator to charge nurse and now nursing supervisor. Her grandmother’s cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis in 2023 deepened her commitment to research, where she sought alternative lines of therapy. She is driven by a desire to contribute meaningfully to the profession, science, and patient lives.
Gloria Osei-Tutu, DNP, APRN, AGNP-C, CMSRN
Gloria is a nurse educator and clinician with more than eleven years of experience across med-surg, psychiatric care, correctional health, and community practice. She teaches at Malcolm X College and serves as a clinical instructor at Loyola University Chicago. Her community work includes women’s health education, preventive-care programming, and leadership in Women’s Fellowship groups. Gloria’s mission is to integrate teaching, research, and clinical excellence to uplift communities and shape the next generation of nurses.
Emily Sheridan, MSN, RN, CPEN
Emily works at Baystate Health as an ED follow-up RN and also practices in Interventional Radiology. Her clinical background includes adult and pediatric emergency departments, a range of inpatient roles, and adjunct faculty positions. She holds a BSN and MSN in Nursing Education, both from UMass Amherst. She hopes to leverage the Fellowship to identify opportunities in research or health policy and channel her diverse clinical experiences into meaningful system-level change.
Juilene Walker, BSN, RN, CCRN
Juilene works in Orthopedic Step-Down/ICU at the Hospital for Special Surgery, caring for adults after specialized surgical procedures. She is a certified Critical Care Registered Nurse and earned her BSN from the University of Mount Saint Vincent. She is currently pursuing a DNP in Acute Care NP at Molloy University. Her interests include early ambulation, recovery outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes in geriatric populations. She seeks to strengthen her research design and implementation skills to advance patient-centered surgical recovery care.