The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the HIPRC in Seattle, Washington, USA are offering post-doctoral training in Pediatric Injury Research, with positions available beginning summer 2023. 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.
The specific aims of this training program are to:
There are several components to the training:
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.
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.
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 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 of paychecks is available from the payroll office. You can update or request direct deposit on the UW Integrated Service Center (ISC) website.
Please contact the payroll coordinator in your home department if you have questions about payroll or your paycheck.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We expect that training program applicants will be postdoctoral level trainees who plan to conduct, or are conducting, clinical research. Trainees must:
“HIPRC is the perfect place to get training in interdisciplinary injury prevention research and practice. The faculty mentors care about your success and will support and help you in achieving your career goals. The training program broadened my understanding of the field of injury epidemiology and trauma care, while also providing practical skills in grant writing and academic careers. The University of Washington also provides ample opportunities to take formal coursework to support your research goals.”
“One of the things I appreciated about the T32 program at HIPRC was the thoughtful structure, including the seminars and training sessions. The work-in-progress sessions were helpful when we were working on projects and writing papers – fellows present projects/ideas and receive feedback from a diverse and interdisciplinary group of researchers (social workers, trauma surgeons, epidemiologists, pediatricians, industrial engineers, etc.). Throughout my time as a fellow at HIPRC, I was encouraged to pursue new topics, ideas, methods, and data sources, and my mentors would provide feedback and guidance on my ideas, approaches, and writing.”
“The T32 was a great experience. It gave me the opportunity to work with researchers across the greater UW environment while developing a deeper understanding of the broader world of injury and trauma research and getting excellent career advice from Drs. Fred Rivara and Monica Vavilala. It protected my research time while I put together the career development award that ultimately set me up for a professor gig. I would (and have!) recommend it to anyone who thinks they might be interested.”
“Dr. Rivara’s mentorship during my T32 was critical for building a career as an independently funded academic surgeon. He focused on helping each fellow develop research questions they are passionate about, coached us to improve our writing and analytic skills, and connected us with a mentorship network to successfully launch our research careers. My main project during my T32 research time was on the long-term impact of patients discharged to skill nursing facilities — I recently received an R01 that is a cluster-randomized trial in nursing facilities that was developed directly from my time as a T32 research fellow at HIPRC. I’m incredibly grateful for Dr. Rivara and the team that mentored me and continue to support me at HIPRC.”
Lauren Agoubi, MD, MA – Social Determinants of Health in Traumatic Injury, Surgical Care Access
Anna Bender, PhD, MSW – Pediatric Injury & Violence Exposure, IPV
Chelsea Hicks, PhD, MPH – Violence, Social Vulnerability & Disasters
Keith Hullenaar, PhD – Criminology & Health
Paul Neuville, MD – Genito-urinary Reconstruction
Fred Rivara, MD, MPH— Director
Monica Vavilala, MD— Co-Director