Pre-Doctoral Application Information
Who is eligible to apply
You can apply for the pre-doctoral training program if you meet the following requirements:
- Have an MS, MPH, MSPH, or an equivalent level of training
- Are currently enrolled in a doctoral program at UNC-Chapel Hill
**Completion of comprehensive exams is preferred, but this is no longer a requirement of the program**
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.”).
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
Pre-doctoral trainees are eligible for salaries commensurate with the NIH’s full-time salary scale. Health insurance is covered by the program, as are tuition and fees. Pre-doctoral trainees will also receive approximately $800 per year to cover travel.
Application Package
Application Deadline for 2023-2024 funding: Applications for 2023-2024 closed on February 3, 2023
Applicants to the pre-doctoral training program must submit:
- A cover letter
- A curriculum vita
- A five-page research statement/fellowship plan
- Three faculty letters of support
In the cover letter, the applicant must:
- Describe their career goals
- Explain how the program would help them achieve these goals
- Describe their research experience
- Comment on their academic progress to date
In the research statement/fellowship plan, the applicant must:
- Describe their research focus
- Explain the gap in knowledge or practice that exists relative to this research focus
- Identify the overarching hypotheses that would guide an empirical investigation
- Explain the potential impact of such an investigation
One of the letters of support should come from a CCQTP faculty member. If the applicant’s dissertation advisor is not a CCQTP faculty member, the other letter should come from the dissertation advisor. If the applicant has not yet formed a dissertation committee, one of the letters should come from the applicant’s faculty advisor. The dissertation advisor and/or faculty advisor does not need to be a CCQTP faculty member.
Application Process
The admissions committee will perform an initial review of all applications based on:
- Demonstrated or expressed level of commitment to cancer care quality research (assessed through prior research experience, coursework, and career focus),
- Record of academic achievement (assessed through CV),
- Ability to work collaboratively (assessed through letters of support), and
- Potential match with available mentors’ expertise and interest (assessed through research statement / fellowship plan).