Jim Bernstein Community Health Leadership Fellows Program

About the Program

Meet the Fellows

Fellowship Alumni

The Jim Bernstein Community Health Leadership Fellows Program (Bernstein Fellowship) equips emerging leaders to improve health and well-being across North Carolina. Created by James (Jim) D. Bernstein, the Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation’s (FHLI) founding director, this program builds on his 30-year legacy leading statewide initiatives supporting community-driven care in rural and underserved areas.

Bernstein Fellows carry on Jim Bernstein’s mission by promoting community-driven solutions that improve whole-person, whole-community, and whole-state health. Over the two-year program, Fellows enhance their collaborative leadership skills through educational activities and project development as they deepen their understanding of health challenges and opportunities in rural and underserved communities.

About the Bernstein Fellowship

Each cycle of the two-year Fellowship begins in October, with the current cohort running from 2024 to 2026. During the course of their program, Bernstein Fellows receive:

Educational opportunities and individualized mentoring through a network of professionals connected to FHLI.
Funding for up to two years to support a project to improve community health.

Upon completing the two-year Fellowship, Bernstein Fellows will have developed the leadership skills necessary to engage and collaborate effectively and create meaningful impact. When considering the Fellowship, please keep in mind that fellows must dedicate 10 to 12% of their working hours to fellowship activities.

Bernstein Fellowship Program Description

Emerging health professionals (administrators, practitioners, etc.) from various disciplines, including primary care, pharmacy, behavioral health, oral health, public health, social work, and more, are eligible for the program. The Fellowship includes an educational component, an individualized project, field experiences, and ongoing mentorship focused on:

Developing leadership skills.
Understanding the key elements of North Carolina’s health sector.
Identifying the strengths and challenges of rural communities.
Effectively collaborating with local and state partners.

Educational Component

The Fellowship includes approximately 12 days of educational programming to enhance each Fellow’s comprehensive understanding of rural health and develop professional skills. Please note that the Fellowship is not part of a degree-granting curriculum.

Project Component

Projects align with each fellow’s professional interests and goals and their employer’s needs. Fellows submit project progress reports and can connect with a mentor for project support. At the end of the program, Fellows share their projects with their local communities and present a summary of their projects to the FHLI Board of Directors.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

Spend 10 to 12% of their working hours on Fellowship activities.
Work in a clinical or administrative capacity for an organization based in or serving a rural and/or underserved community in North Carolina.
Receive a salary from their employer (please note that Fellowships funds cannot be used to supplement your salary).
Demonstrate a dedication to community-driven health care.
Exhibit a strong commitment to staying in North Carolina.
Demonstrate leadership qualities such as being a self-starter, resourceful, industrious, motivated, mature, resilient, a good communicator, a problem-solver, and a team player.
Be sensitive to cultural diversity among client populations in health settings and programs.
Maintain realistic expectations when working in rural or underserved communities and engaging with vulnerable populations.

How to Apply

Please note: the application period for the Bernstein Fellowship is closed. If you are interested in applying to join the next cohort beginning in October 2026, please check back in January 2026 to apply. Click here to join our mailing list and receive a notification when the next application period opens.

To apply, please provide the following information:

Your curriculum vitae or resume that serves as the cover page
A written statement (refer to the prompt below)
A letter of support from your employer
A letter of recommendation from a professional source
Signed statement of understanding and commitment (see attachment)

Your written statement should showcase your interests and objectives for the Fellowship program while addressing the following questions:

What interests you about participating in the Fellowship?
What do you understand the program would offer you as a health professional?
What are your strengths and challenges as a health professional?
What personal and professional goals do you hope to achieve in this program related to leadership development? How will you measure these goals at the end of the Fellowship?
What areas of interest do you want to explore during your Fellowship project?
Which communities and agencies would be impacted by your project, and how would it contribute to positive, lasting change for these communities and agencies?

After applying, you will be notified whether you have been invited to interview over the summer. Those accepted to the Fellowship will have an orientation in October and are invited to attend FHLI’s Annual Bernstein Event, where they will officially begin the program.

2024-2026 Bernstein Fellows

Bernstein Fellowship Portal