Post-Doctoral Application Information

Who is eligible to apply

Candidates for both the pre-doctoral and post-doctoral training program MUST be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the US, or must have been lawfully admitted to the US for permanent residence (i.e., in possession of a currently valid Alien Registration Receipt Card I-551, or “green card.”).

You can apply for the post-doctoral training program if you are:

1. A recent graduate of a doctoral program without any prior post-doctoral fellowship experience,
2. A more senior researcher holding doctoral degrees who wishes to change the focus of their research to cancer care quality,
3. A physician, nurse, or other clinician who has completed clinical training and who now wishes to specialize in cancer care quality.
4. Individuals in the final stages of a doctoral degree may apply for the post-doctoral training program, as long as the dissertation will be defended or completed prior to starting the program.

The CCQTP is committed to training a diverse cadre of clinician and non-clinician scientists. Individuals from under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Stipend and Support

Post-doctoral trainees are eligible for salaries commensurate with the NIH’s full-time salary scale for persons of equivalent qualifications, experience and rank. The program covers health insurance and tuition and fees. Post-doctoral trainees will also receive approximately $1,000 per year to cover travel.

Application Package

Application Deadline for 2024-2025 funding: Submission deadline is Friday, February 16, 2024

Submit an Application

Applicants to the post-doctoral training program must submit:

1. A cover letter
2. A curriculum vita
3. A five-page research statement/fellowship plan
4. Three faculty letters of support
5. Applicants who have not yet completed requirements for a Ph.D. must include a note of assurance from the dissertation chair that the applicant will defend the dissertation prior to beginning the fellowship.

In the cover letter, the applicant must:

1. Describe their career goals
2. Explain how the program would help them achieve these goals
3. Describe their research experience
4. Describe any professional experience relevant to their career goals.
5. GMAT score, if applicable.

In the research statement/fellowship plan, the applicant must:

1. Describe the research that they hope to conduct (e.g., research questions and types of studies to answer those questions).
2. Describe other goals that they wish to accomplish through the fellowship, such as training (content, methods), professional development (skills, experiences) and products (planned grants, publications).

Important Note

Applicants interested in pursuing an MPH or other advanced degree must apply separately to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (usually to a department in the School of Public Health). Prospective fellows are encouraged to visit the appropriate UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health web pages and learn about admission requirements and deadlines.

Application Process

The admissions committee will perform an initial review of all applications based on:

1. Demonstrated or expressed level of commitment to cancer care quality research (assessed through prior research experience, coursework, and career focus)
2. Record of academic achievement (assessed through CV)
3. Ability to work collaboratively (assessed through letters of support), and
4. Potential match with available mentors’ expertise and interest (assessed through research statement / fellowship plan)