Postdoctoral Opportunities at the U of M

Interdisciplinary Adolescent Health Research Fellowships

Posted on 02/25/2005

A $2.6 million CDC grant to the University of Minnesota has been awarded Fall 2004 to support up to 17 pre- and post-doctoral fellowships in nursing, medicine, and nutrition for those wanting to develop adolescent health research skills. Announced in October by its Director, Dr. Julie Gerberding, the CDC intends to support the development of scientists who will carry out the nation's public health research agenda. Two other Universities, New York University and the University of Illinois - Chicago, also received one of these new CDC Health Protection Institutional Research Training grants. The University of Minnesota Grant is the only award focused in adolescent health. Information about these new CDC grants may be found at http://www.cdc.gov/od/hpri/awards.htm

In collaboration with the University of Minnesota's Schools of Medicine and Public Health, the Center for Adolescent Nursing (Director: Dr. Linda H. Bearinger) in the School of Nursing is launching the Adolescent Health Protection Research Training Program. This interdisciplinary pre- and post-doctoral research training program will prepare adolescent health scholars to conduct population-focused research that focuses on protecting the health of young people. The goal is to advance evidence-based programs, practices, and policies that reduce disparities and improve the health of all adolescents.

The grant will support tuition, stipend and travel for pre- or post-doctoral study in nursing, medicine, and public health nutrition. All medical fellows will complete a Masters in Public Health during the 3 years of their stipend-supported fellowship; grant dollars support tuition costs for the MPH. Likewise, nursing and nutrition post-doctoral fellows will enhance their research skills in adolescent health promotion/protection through seminars and coursework while also launching mentored research projects. Stipend-supported pre-doctoral nursing and nutrition students will focus their Ph.D. coursework in adolescent health.

It is unique to the University of Minnesota's Academic Health Center, and, perhaps to most academic health centers in the country, that a training program housed in the School of Nursing would provide stipend and tuition support for fellows in medicine and nutrition. The Medical School's Dean and head of the Department of Pediatrics and the School of Public Health's Dean have enthusiastically supported this research training initiative headed by Dr. Bearinger in the School of Nursing. They recognize and value the long-history of interdisciplinary and inter-school collaboration in adolescent health. Along with Dr. Bearinger, Drs. Michael Resnick, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Renee Sieving, and Nimi Singh areUniversity of Minnesota faculty involved in this training initiative. For information on pre- and post-doctoral fellowships in nursing, medicine, and nutrition, contact the Center for Adolescent Nursing at 612-624-3938.

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