Pediatric Research Training Program (T-32)

The goal of this postdoctoral training program is to create and sustain a corps of interdisciplinary-trained investigators who will conduct rigorous research on ways to reduce the toll from injuries.

The Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center and the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA are offering post-doctoral training in Pediatric Injury Research, with positions available beginning summer 2021. This training program is funded through a US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH) T-32 grant.

Injury is the leading cause of death and acquired disability among children and adolescents in the United States, is the most expensive medical problem in the U.S., and disproportionately affects marginalized populations. Reduction of the burden of injuries requires research and intervention by well-trained investigators, of whom there is currently a shortage. The Pediatric Injury Research Training Program is designed to address this need.

The concept of “injury control research” encompasses not only the primary prevention of injuries, but also the acute and chronic care of the injured child and his or her subsequent rehabilitation; this applies to both intentional (assault or self-harm) and unintentional injuries. These areas have traditionally been divided among public health, surgery, and rehabilitation, respectively. We view this as an interdisciplinary problem in which prevention is not always successful, leading to an injury requiring optimal trauma care to minimize risk of death and disability, followed by rehabilitation to maximize the child’s potential and return to the community.

Program Overview

The specific aims of this training program are to:

  • Recruit outstanding fellows from a national applicant pool with attention to diversity in clinical and academic backgrounds, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity and gender.
  • Provide trainees with a well-balanced curriculum in injury control and theory along with methodologic skills in research (especially biostatistics, epidemiology, health economics and health services) and an introduction to non-clinical disciplines important to interdisciplinary research.
  • Foster a training environment with mentors who not only provide practical and relevant research experience but also serve as role models for the trainee as teachers, researchers, and clinicians and can assist the fellow with placement beyond the trainee program to support career development.

There are several components to the training:

  • Formal didactic courses to fill gaps in prior academic training to conduct research in injury control and to provide exposure to disciplines relevant to injury research.
  • Attendance at fellowship-sponsored seminars including weekly small group research seminars, a 12-week Biomedical Integrity in Research Seminar Series, a seminar series on behavior and health, formal training in scientific writing, and formal training in grant writing.
  • In-depth research training in an active, on-going research program at one of the training units with mentoring from an interdisciplinary group of faculty at the UW and its collaborating sites.
  • Development and implementation of research projects in injury research, supervised by one or more of the core faculty mentors, to achieve the following goals: a) To develop the research skills necessary to initiate a career as an independent investigator in injury control research. b) To develop expertise in a focused area of injury control research.

The Training Program is two years long, with the option of a third year for exceptionally productive trainees. A Master of Public Health (MPH) or Master of Science (MSc) degree is available as part of the Training Program. Post-doctoral level scholars are welcome from all health professions, and specialties within those professions including pediatrics, surgery, urology, emergency medicine, anesthesia/critical care, psychiatry, psychology, epidemiology, health services, public health, social work, and nursing. The program involves faculty from the UW Schools of Medicine, Public Health, Social Work, Nursing, and the Department of Psychology in the UW School of Arts and Sciences.

Apply

We are pleased that you are considering an application to the Pediatric Injury Research Training Program, funded through a National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development T-32 award. Doctoral level Scholars are welcome from all health professions. The Program includes coursework, seminars and an intensively mentored research experience. We will provide our trainees with methodological knowledge and practical skills for conducting high quality interdisciplinary research in an environment that infuses them with the excitement of research, and nurtures their early career development. We believe that our graduates will become research leaders prepared to conduct interdisciplinary research using the highest ethical standards and capitalizing on start of the art research methods.

The Training Program is two years long, with the option of a third year for exceptionally productive trainees. A Master of Public Health (MPH) or Master of Science (MSc) degree is available as part of the Training Program.

Application Instructions

Please read these instructions carefully before completing your application. We currently support online applications and applications delivered via mail. Please provide us with all required items on the application. We require a C.V., but do NOT submit a C.V. in lieu of any portion of this application. If you have any additional questions regarding the application process, please call Dr. Rivara at (206) 744-9449 or e-mail at: fpr@uw.edu.

Please complete the application and submit via email. If you’re not able to provide applications materials electronically, please print and send the completed application to:

Frederick P. Rivara, MD, MPH
Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center
Box 359960
325 Ninth Ave, Seattle WA 98104.

Application Items to Complete

  • Application form. Please complete all sections. We understand that some of the material is duplicated on your C.V., but the completed application form will assist the Evaluation Committee in reviewing applicants from different backgrounds. Attach additional pages to list additional employment, training, etc., only after you have included the most important information on the application form.
  • Curriculum Vitae or Resume
    • A one page personal statement about your interests, background, what you hope to obtain from this training, and long-term career plans
    • A two-page description of your specific research interests that you would pursue during the training program, and potential mentors with whom you might work
  • Letters of Reference. Please have your referees complete a reference form and include it with a letter of support. Request reference letters be sent directly to Dr. Rivara.

Timing of Application Process

All application materials for summer 2021 must be received by the following deadline: Nov. 1, 2020

It is your responsibility to ensure that your application is completed and on time. If your application is forwarded to the second round of review, a very important component of this application will be your personal interview with the admissions committee and potential mentors. The interviews will be conducted via video.

Benefits

Salary

Stipends

Trainee stipends are determined by the NIH and based on the number of years of experience. Stipends may not be changed mid-year. Stipend levels increase one level with each year of service. Please see current NIH stipend levels here.

Social security is not deducted from your stipend. Stipends are not subject to self-employment tax (FICA) or worker’s compensation, but are subject to federal taxes.

Paychecks

Paychecks are issued by the University on the 10th and 25th of each month. You can view your payroll history online via the UW Integrated Service Center (ISC) website.

Direct Deposit

Direct deposit of paychecks is available from the payroll office. You can update or request direct deposit on the UW Integrated Service Center (ISC) website.

Questions

Please contact the payroll coordinator in your home department if you have questions about payroll or your paycheck.

Benefits

Trainees in the NRSA program are eligible for medical and dental insurance, for both themselves and their families, commencing the first day of their fellowship. There is sometimes a charge for this coverage, depending upon the plan selected.

A description of the programs and the medical and dental enrollment forms are available on the UW Benefits website. Forms must be turned in within 30 days of your start date. All benefits questions should be directed to the UW Benefits Office either via email, call 206-543-8000.

Please note: As a trainee, you are not eligible for UW retirement plans, long-term disability insurance coverage or Worker’s Compensation coverage. For exceptions on being or becoming eligible to receive retirement plans please visit UW’s Retirement website for more information. In addition, the leave policies stated below supersede any UW policies.

Leave

Holiday

Trainees are paid for all University of Washington recognized holidays. Please note that summer quarter is not considered a holiday and trainees are in work status during this time.

Vacation

Trainees are eligible for 30 days of paid vacation per year. This time is not tracked by the University, but please notify your department director before taking a long vacation.

Sick Leave

Trainees are eligible for up to 15 days per year of sick leave with pay. Sick leave may be used for the medical conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Parental Leave

Trainees may also receive stipends for up to 60 calendar days of parental leave per year for the adoption or the birth of a child when pre-approved by the program director, Dr. Fred Rivara.

Additional sick leave or other leaves must have prior approval of the program directors, Dr. Fred Rivara or Dr. Monica Vavilala, and our grant sponsor, HRSA, and are without pay.

Eligibility

We expect that training program applicants will be postdoctoral level trainees who plan to conduct, or are conducting, clinical research.  Trainees must:

  1. Be US citizens or non-citizen nationals, or an individual lawfully admitted for permanent residence who possesses an Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-151 or I-551), or some other verification of legal admission as a permanent resident prior to appointment.  Individuals with temporary or student visas are not eligible
  2. Have an M.D. or Ph.D. degree or its equivalent.
  3. Not simultaneously submit or have pending an application for any other PHS mentored career development award (e.g., K07, K08, K22, K23), that duplicates any of the provisions of this training program.
  4. Be able to commit full-time professional effort in this Career Development Program and its related research activities.

Additional eligibility information:

  • This program accommodates individuals with a variety of interests. This program will strongly encourage applications from outside the UW School of Medicine, and from members of all the Health Science Schools. This includes the Schools of Pharmacy, Nursing, Public Health and Community Medicine, Social Work, and Dentistry, as well as in Psychology and related fields. In addition, the program strongly encourages applications from individuals not yet affiliated with the University of Washington.
  • These funds cannot be used to support clinical fellowship training. However, fellows who have completed the part of their fellowship needed for sub specialty certification are eligible to apply. The award is not intended for individuals making mid-career changes into injury research.