Promoting Cardiovascular & Respiratory Health
This postdoctoral training seeks to increase the scientific workforce that is focused on cardiovascular and pulmonary disease in the behavioral, population and implementation sciences.
Texas Social Work and the Dell Medical School offer this postdoctoral training through an award (T32HL140290) from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
How to Apply
- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
- Application materials: Cover letter; curriculum vitae; two-page (single-space) statement describing research interests, experience, eligibility, training needs and career plans; writing sample; three letters of recommendation.
- Upload application materials here.
- Direct inquiries to program directors:
- Yessenia Castro, Ph. D., Texas Social Work, ycastro@austin.utexas.edu ; or
- Catherine Cubbin, Ph.D., Texas Social Work, ccubbin@austin.utexas.edu
Highlights
- Annual $65,000 stipend, health insurance stipend, tuition, $3,400 travel/ professional development allowance; reimbursable childcare expenses and family leave are also available.
- One-year fellowship, with the possibility of a second year contingent on satisfactory progress.
- Postdoctoral fellows will further their research and training agendas through formal mentorship and coursework, seminars, conferences, and other career development activities.
- Each fellow will have a primary mentor assisted by other mentors in a team approach. They will work with established investigators on research projects and be expected to prepare and submit manuscripts for publication, present at local and national conferences, and develop and submit at least one grant proposal by the end of the fellowship term.
- Fellows will be trained in population health science and other methods as appropriate for the fellow’s interests (e.g., community-based participatory research methods, implementation science, qualitative methods). They will implement evidence-based interventions and/or produce scientific evidence with the ultimate goal of eliminating the public health burden of heart and lung diseases, including their behavioral risk factors.
- Dell Medical School is uniquely designed to promote population health while Texas Social Work is rooted in social work values and has a strong community-based focus; the schools have an established and successful partnership.
Eligibility
- Applicants are required to possess an MD, DO or a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline, or be enrolled in an accredited doctoral degree program and fulfill all degree requirements prior to the start of the fellowship.
- MD/DO applicants should have completed their residency by the start of the fellowship.
- This opportunity is open to all qualified applicants who are citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States at the time of application. The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity employer, strictly prohibits discrimination in all employment practices, including hiring, based on race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status. This commitment is in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws.
Mentors
See an up-to-date list of mentors from across schools and colleges at The University of Texas at Austin. Before submission of application materials, applicants should contact mentors to identify shared interests and to determine if one or more can serve as mentors through the duration of the fellowship.
Expectations
Postdoctoral fellows are expected to spend about half of their time working independently and about half of their time working together with their mentor(s). In addition, they are expected to regularly attend seminars, submit manuscripts for publication, make local and national scientific presentations, and submit at least one grant proposal for external funding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a remote/hybrid fellowship option?
No. The program is on-site at University of Texas at Austin to facilitate networking, collaboration, community-building, and required training.
Do I need to officially graduate before I begin the fellowship?
No. However, the fellowship is contingent upon the satisfactory outcome of your criminal background check, and completion of all requirements for your doctoral degree. Year two of the fellowship will be contingent upon satisfactory progress as determined by your annual evaluation.
Are there funds available to help with moving expenses?
No, this is not an allowable expense.
Can I expect an increase in the stipend level for the second year?
It depends upon the number of years of relevant postdoctoral experience. Our stipend levels are already above NIH levels for a postdoc with 2 years of experience ($64,380). If a fellow has more than two years of experience when they start the fellowship, their stipend level will be set at NIH levels: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-26-044.html
What if I get a job offer before the fellowship period ends?
The end date is negotiable. Appointments are normally made in 12 month increments, and no trainee may be appointed for less than 9 months during the initial period of appointment.
Is there a possibility to extend the fellowship for a third year?
Yes, on a case-by-case basis.
What will the office space look like?
All fellows will have their own cubicle workspace in Texas Social Work. In addition, your primary mentor may be located in a different location (e.g., Dell Medical School) and may offer you an additional office space.
What kind of computer will I have?
Fellows will order a new laptop computer, plus necessary software & peripherals, with assistance from an administrative assistant.
Are there funds to recruit my own research assistants?
There is no funding to hire research assistants through the T32 mechanism; however, you could consider supervising an intern who wants to gain research experience. You are also encouraged to apply for internal and external grants for such purposes.”
How will authorship be attributed in collaborative projects?
Authorship will be negotiated with your mentor(s) and/or collaborators.
Will I have protected time to work on my dissertation papers?
Yes. If applicable, you will be expected to prepare manuscripts from your dissertation and you will have protected time to do so. Your specific schedule and time spent on various projects will be negotiated with your mentor(s).
How many vacation days, sick days, and holidays will be provided?
Time off will be negotiated with your primary mentor.
Are there funds to support training workshops and formal coursework?
Yes. Tuition for coursework is provided as well as a generous professional development allowance (currently $3,400/year).
Will health insurance be provided?
Yes. Your stipend will be supplemented by $4,800 to purchase insurance through UT Austin or on your own. You may elect to enroll in health insurance with the university’s group insurance program through our Human Resource Service Center. You can find additional information on the insurance coverage including how to start enrollment on the following webpage: https://hr.utexas.edu/current/insurance/research-affiliate-postdoctoral-fellow.
Will I be able to engage in clinical work or outside employment during the fellowship?
Physician fellows and other fellows with a clinical degree may engage in clinical practice during the fellowship period. However, per NIH policy, research trainees must devote 40 hours per week to their proposed research training. Trainees may engage outside employment that is incidental to the fellowship (to include clinical work) for up to 10 hours per week beyond their full-time research training requirement. Research trainees who are also training as clinicians may engage in clinical work within the 40 hours per week research training requirement only if that work is an integral part of the research training experience. For those who wish to pursue clinical work, The Dell Medical School has its own clinics, although limited in size and scope. It also has ongoing formal relationships with Ascension-Seton and its two main hospitals in Austin (Dell-Seton Medical Center and Seton Main), and their inpatient and outpatient specialty and subspecialty services. Dell Med also has formal, strong relationships with two networks of federally qualified health centers, CommUnityCare and Lone Star Circle of Care, and the Department of Veterans Affairs’ large community-based outpatient clinic in Austin.
See NIH guidance here: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-od-17-095.html.
Will my malpractice insurance be paid for?
Physician fellows appointed to the Dell Medical School may receive malpractice insurance through their membership with UT Health Austin’s physician practice plan. Fellowship program funds cannot be used to cover this cost.
Will there be opportunities for me to participate in CME activities as a student or teacher?
Yes.
Will there be opportunities for me to teach residents and medical students?
Yes, there are inpatient and outpatient teaching services that fellows can participate in as a physician-educator.
Will I have access to clinical data for my research?
Yes, the Dell Medical School has a well-funded Data Core that provides data for fellows’ research at no cost. These data come from all of the clinical partners listed above as well as other health care venues, etc. In addition, there is increasingly available non-clinical data from such sources as the U.S. Census Bureau, the EPA, Austin Independent School District, criminal justice systems, etc. — much of which is under development but will be available to fellows as these data are brought into Dell Med’s data enterprise warehouse.