Each applicant for the Sarnoff Fellowship Program must choose a member of his/her medical school faculty to serve as Sponsor. A Sponsor is vital to medical student applicants: s/he writes a letter of recommendation to support the application, and provides assistance and feedback for the essay portion of the application.

Sponsors may also assist Sarnoff Fellows in the selection of a laboratory for the Fellowship research. A Sponsor may not serve as the applicant's research Preceptor for the Sarnoff Fellowship year.

Sponsors need not be affiliated with Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation nor be involved specifically in cardiovascular science or basic science. Rather, s/he must be in a position to comment on the applicant's interest in research and potential for benefit from a Sarnoff Fellowship.