Graduate Students


Graduate Student Programs

The Cleveland Clinic offers joint PhD programs through formal partnerships with Cleveland State University (CSU), Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Kent State University (KSU) and the University of Akron (UA). Many Cleveland Clinic faculty also have adjunct, joint or primary appointments at CSU, CWRU, KSU and UA making it possible to complete the research requirements for a PhD with an advisor at the Cleveland Clinic and graduate with a degree from one of these local universities.

For all programs, except Molecular Medicine, course work for the degree is taken at the university, although in the case of joint degree programs, some instructors may choose to have courses meet at the Clinic. In all cases, the student applicant must apply directly to the graduate school and the university program that they are interested in.

Once the student has been accepted to the university degree program, inquiries may be made regarding the possibility of conducting the research work for the PhD at the Cleveland Clinic, working with a Cleveland Clinic faculty advisor.



Additional Information

Support for Students

PhD students who have been accepted into the university degree programs, and have arranged to work with advisors at the Cleveland Clinic, are supported financially during their graduate studies with a research assistantship. The assistantship usually provides full tuition and a student stipend. Financial support for students is provided from funds that are designated specifically for graduate education. Stipends vary with university program. Specifics may be obtained from the following LRI graduate program directors:

Lerner Graduate Student Association

The Lerner Graduate Student Association is dedicated to providing a link between graduate students, LRI faculty and staff, and the surrounding Cleveland area. Our main goal is to represent all LRI graduate students and advocate for their unique needs and concerns in order to maximize academic and professional development

The goal of the Lerner Graduate Student Association (LGSA) is to foster a sense of community amongst graduate students. We aim to provide support and resources for graduate students, as well as recognize their achievements and contributions to the LRI research community. Our hope is to create a more collegial atmosphere that will unite the over 150 graduate students of the LRI.

All graduate students are eligible to become members of LGSA. For more information please contact Sarah Kostiha Smith at kostihs@ccf.org.

Lerner Graduate Student Association Newsletters
Graduate Student Awards
(Cleveland Clinic PhD Partnerships Only)

F. Merlin Bumpus Junior Investigator Awards are presented at the annual Cleveland Clinic Research Day to recognize outstanding contributions submitted by junior scientists in training (Postdoctoral Fellows and Graduate Students) for presentation at the event. The abstracts and oral presentations of the semifinalists are judged by the Research Day abstract review committee.

The LRI Research Education and Training Center (RETC) invites applications for the Graduate Student Awards for Excellence. Awardees receive a plaque, a cash prize and recognition at the State of the LRI.

Guidelines for submission and deadline posted each April.



Graduate Program Contact Information at the Cleveland Clinic

For additional information on the graduate programs available through the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute please contact:
Sarah Kostiha Smith
Program Manager, Predoctoral Training
Program Manager, Molecular Medicine PhD Program
kostihs@ccf.org