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The George Donnell Society for Pediatric Scientists

Screengrab of YouTube video player displaying CHLA's The Donnell Society video

The George Donnell Society for Pediatric Scientists is dedicated to improving the health of children by training pediatric physician scientists to perform innovative and high quality research. The Society includes pediatric residents, subspecialty fellows, and faculty who are interested in performing pediatric research. It provides mentorship, infrastructure and a community for pediatric scientists in training.

George “Nino” Donnell, MD, was Physician-in-Chief and Chair of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles from 1971 through 1984. Dr. Donnell’s commitment to the teaching and mentorship of pediatricians, as well as his numerous clinical and scientific achievements, has shaped a generation of pediatric physicians and scientists at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The George Donnell Society will honor his contributions by continuing to train the best pediatric physician scientists.

Program Goals

  • Train high-quality physician scientists within CHLA pediatric residency
  • Provide an infrastructure and environment to ensure that physician scientists-in-training can learn and produce innovative, high-impact clinical research
  • Leverage use of CHLA’s Enterprise Data Lake for research projects and promote cross-disciplinary data science training opportunities

This program is designed to support pediatric residents interested in pursuing career as physician scientist by providing individualized mentor and financial support.

Eight casually dressed members of the George Donnell Society for Pediatric Scientists pose for a team picture

Application

Eligibility

Any incoming resident in the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’s residency programs (Pediatrics, Neurology, Surgery Research Resident) is eligible to apply for the Donnell Society.

Underrepresented minorities in research, per the National Institutes of Health definition, are encouraged to apply.

Prioritization

Applicants with prior research accomplishments and future potential for success as independent investigators will be prioritized.

Application information will be updated in Spring 2024

Application Timeline

Upcoming information coming March 2025.
Please access the application here.

Contact Information

For further information and to submit your application, please email:

Metzy Soriano, MPH, Donnell Society Coordinator    
msoriano@chla.usc.edu

Sonia Michail, MD, FAAP, CPE,AGAF, Donnell Society Program Director
smichail@chla.usc.edu

Francesca Seta, Donnell Society Program Manager
fseta@chla.usc.edu

Resources