Predoctoral trainees must be formally admitted into the University of Minnesota Social and Behavioral Epidemiology PhD program before the start of the training. Postdoctoral trainees must have earned a doctoral degree (e.g., PhD, DrPH, ScD, MD).

The main consideration for acceptance into the program will be applicant’s potential for an outstanding research career aimed at ensuring positive weight-related health among youth and families from diverse communities.

Criteria for selection of trainees include:

• an outstanding academic record (e.g., GPA, previous training, research productivity);
• alignment of career interests with the goals of the REACH Applied Epidemiology Training Program;
• experience in working with diverse communities;
• positive recommendations from previous mentors and/or professional colleagues;
• evidence of commitment to and likely success in conducting research of relevance to the training program;
• ability to recognize important research problems and a demonstrated capacity to seek solutions;
• strong interpersonal skills;
• intellectual integrity and curiosity; and
• a passion for addressing health inequities.

Trainee Citizenship
At the time of appointment to the training program, individuals selected for research training supported by NRSA institutional training grants must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States, or must have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence, i.e., in possession of a currently valid Alien Registration Receipt Card I-551, or some other legal verification of legal admission as a permanent resident.

Noncitizen nationals are generally persons born in outlying territories of the United States (e.g., American Samoa and Swains Island). Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible for Kirschstein-NRSA support. In addition, trainees must be able to commit full-time effort in the program at the time of appointment.

Learn about the Project EAT program of research.