New Fellow Welcome Guide
Everything you need to know as a newly elected Aequitas Health Fellow — your fellowship, your opportunities, and how to make the most of it.
Congratulations
Your election as an Aequitas Health Fellow means your peers and faculty recognized what you did — you built something that didn't exist, in a community that needed it. You've joined a selective national community of medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty committed to turning health equity from an aspiration into action.
Your fellowship is free and it is yours for life. There are no dues, no fees, and no financial obligation — ever. As the organization grows, so do the opportunities available to you.
What Your Fellowship Includes
Honor Society Certificate. A formal certificate from the national organization recognizing your election and commitment to health equity.
Graduation Cord. A distinctive cord to wear at commencement, identifying you as an Aequitas Health Fellow.
Journal Publication. Access to the Aequitas Health Journal — publish research, commentaries, reflections, case reports, and creative work in an editorially reviewed health equity publication.
National Conference. Present your work and learn from distinguished speakers at the annual National Conference — free, virtual, and on your schedule.
Grant Eligibility. Apply for competitive grants to fund health equity projects. In 2025, $1,500 was awarded across three $500 grants for fellow and chapter projects.
Professional Network. Membership in a growing national network of physicians and medical students dedicated to health equity — connections that extend well beyond medical school.
National Conference
Each year, Aequitas Health hosts the National Conference — a free, virtual, asynchronous symposium featuring distinguished speakers from academic medicine, health system leadership, venture capital, and the federal health system alongside fellow presentations and panel discussions. 3 conferences have been held since 2023, building a growing library of health equity scholarship.
Asynchronous. Watch every presentation on your schedule. Nothing is missed.
Present Your Work. Fellows present health equity projects to a national audience of peers and leaders.
Visit the conference to explore presentations and speakers.
Aequitas Health Journal
The Aequitas Health Journal is an online publication for health equity scholarship. Submit research, reflective essays, commentaries, case reports, creative work, and health services research. Articles include structured citation metadata for discoverability and academic reference.
Submission guidelines and a detailed Journal Submission Guide are available to help you prepare your manuscript.
Grants for Fellows & Chapters
Aequitas Health offers competitive grants to support health equity projects. At the 2025 National Conference, $1,500 was awarded across three categories:
Chapter Project Grant — $500. Funds chapter-led community health initiatives.
Fellow Project Grant — $500. Supports individual fellow health equity projects.
Grant applications open annually. Watch for announcements through your chapter leadership. The Grant Writing Guide can help you prepare a competitive application.
Fellow Resources
The Fellows & Members section of the website includes career development tools, project guidance, and professional resources designed specifically around your fellowship experience. Available resources include:
Scholarship & Publishing: Journal Submission Guide, Presenting Your Work
Your Project: Community Health Project Toolkit, Grant Writing Guide
Professional Growth: Networking in Health Equity, Continuing Your Work in Residency
What's Expected of You
Complete a Health Equity Project. Every fellow develops and executes a local health equity project — in your medical school, clinic, or surrounding community. Collaborate with community organizations and healthcare providers to address a real health disparity. Your chapter leadership and the national organization can help with planning, and grants are available to fund your work.
Contribute to the Community. Engage with your chapter, attend the National Conference, consider publishing in the Journal, and mentor the next class of fellows. The strength of Aequitas Health depends on fellows who stay involved.
Represent the Fellowship. Add your Aequitas Health fellowship to your CV, personal statement, and residency applications. Use the CV & Resume Guide and Personal Statement Workshop to position your work effectively. You've earned this recognition — make sure it's visible.
National Leadership
Benson Hsu, MD, MBA, FAAP, FCCM — Founder, President & Chair. Professor of Pediatrics at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. Board of Regents, American College of Critical Care Medicine. NIH-funded researcher with 75+ peer-reviewed publications. Author of national clinical guidelines at the AAP and SCCM. Former Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company. Presidential Leadership Scholar, Bush Fellow, Aspen Health Innovators Fellow.
Eleanor Turner, MA — Director of Operations. President and Co-Founder of The Legacy Foundation South Dakota. MA in nonprofit management and child & adult advocacy studies from the University of South Dakota. Published author, LEND graduate, and advocate for special needs families. Originally from the United Kingdom.
Let's Get to Work
Your dedication to health equity is why you're here. Because action, not just achievement, is the highest honor in medicine — and you've already proven that. The national team, your chapter leadership, and your fellow fellows across the country are all working alongside you. Stay connected for updates, opportunities, and resources.
Web: aequitashealth.org/members
Resources: 10 career & project guides available now