William Breitbart: Predoctoral research fellowship in psychosocial research in cancer

William Breitbart, Chairman of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, posted on LinkedIn:

“Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, a preeminent comprehensive cancer center in New York City, NY, is recruiting for predoctoral students to join its Psycho-Oncology Research Training Program, dedicated solely to preparing new investigators for independent research careers focusing research training in the psychological and behavioral aspects of cancer.

Supported by an NIH T32 training grant from the National Cancer Institute, fellows gain expertise in all aspects of research, including health communication, grant writing, and management, career development, data management, liaison with multidisciplinary co-investigators, data analyses, and dissemination of findings via oral presentations and manuscript preparation. In addition, support for tuition, travel, and training-related expenses (i.e., health care benefits) are provided.

The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences was established in 1977 and currently has 52 full-time faculty members. Faculty members available to serve as predoctoral l fellow mentors have expertise in topics including genomic medicine and health decision-making, bereavement and palliative care, cancer prevention, immigrant health and cancer disparities, tobacco control and treatment, caregiving, patient-provider communication, neurocognitive effects of cancer therapy, and addressing needs of aging adults. Fellows are matched with one to two mentors with established research programs based on expertise and interests.

Our research portfolio includes programs across the cancer continuum with opportunities to conduct clinical, behavioral, translational, community based and/or health equity research. Multi-disciplinary collaborations within the institution and community-based organizations are well established and allow strong ties to community populations. Stipends and benefits are highly competitive (based on training and years of experience) and housing is available for trainees.

Predoctoral Fellows will:
· gain familiarity with relevant literature and the methodological challenges of designing and implementing clinical research in the cancer care setting
· focus on development and completion of their master’s thesis/doctoral dissertation in a psycho- oncology research area
· interact with postdoctoral fellows enhancing socialization to academic careers
· learn about the ethical, privacy, and human subjects’ issues raised by research projects
Predoctoral Fellows are expected to:
· work with assigned mentor/training faculty on one or more research projects (as directed by faculty)
· participate as a key member of a research team carrying out research related to major issues in cancer treatment, prevention, and control
· be involved in research planning and implementation, protocol and measurement development, research quality assurance, data management, statistical analysis, presentation and writing
· gain experience with practical issues in research management, including supervision, recruitment and retention, and team building
· attend required didactics (e.g., MSK Fellows’ Research Forum)
· submit and present/co-present at least one paper or poster presentation at a national scientific meeting
· demonstrate evidence of academic research cancer development

Minimum Education/Experience Required: Applicants must be graduate students enrolled in local, doctoral-level programs (e.g., psychology, public health, nursing). Eligible graduate students must have completed at least their first year of graduate coursework (i.e., research design, basic statistical methods, health psychology), express keen interest in cancer research, and have strong letters of recommendation from their graduate faculty advisors.
Hours Required: 22.5 hours/week minimum.” .

Source: William Breitbart/LinkedIn