Program Overview

This research Training Program is directed toward both predoctoral and MD and PhD post- doctoral fellows. It incorporates required and elective didactic experiences including formal course work that, when appropriate, may lead to a MS-CTS or MS-Epidemiology/Biostatistics degree. It also features a required mentored research experience under close supervision of at least 2 senior mentors as well as a junior mentor.

Each fellow will be expected to demonstrate or gain expertise in the following 6 areas of training:

• Epidemiologic and biostatistics methods
• Basic/ clinical sciences relevant to his/her focus area, including physiology and pathophysiology
• CVD and chronic disease epidemiology, epidemiology of disease biomarkers, and health disparities
• Professional development
• Training in the responsible conduct of research
• Mentored research projects

At the start of the fellowship, each fellow will consult with the Program Director and his/her faculty mentors in developing an Individual Development Plan (IDP) that will meet the training objectives. All trainees will be expected to participate in seminars and workshops offered by UIC faculty, and at least 1 external/national workshop conducted by nationally recognized leaders in cardiovascular and chronic disease epidemiology, and/or minority health and health disparities that address the above educational objectives. After the initial meeting to develop the plan, fellows will be expected to meet with primary mentors at least weekly and with secondary mentors at least quarterly, to ensure timely progress towards meeting these objectives.

Mentored research training will be conducted in conjunction with one or more program faculty members within the context of ongoing investigations. Available ongoing studies are at various stages of design, conduct, and analysis, and thus can provide trainees the opportunity to experience a full range of practical problems that may arise in the design and conduct of epidemiologic and preventive research on CVD, CKD, and other chronic diseases, and exposure to methodological, interpretative, and analytic issues.
Trainees will be required to participate in the design, conduct, analysis, and interpretation of the results of research projects and to attend regular meetings of the projects on which they are working. This will involve a time commitment for the trainee of approximately 30-35 hours per week during both years of the program — in addition to time required for formal course work. Together, these two activities represent a full-time commitment to the program by the trainee. The formal coursework and mentored research training will be supplemented with seminars/workshops, counseling, and other efforts to enhance the fellow’s career development.