Global AIDS Prevention (T32)

Co-directed by BERG’s Dr. Pamina Gorbach and Dr. Judith Currier, the Division of Infectious Diseases of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is pleased to offer its Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program in Global HIV Prevention Research as a way to prepare physician, social, behavioral, and professional scientists for academic research careers focused on understanding and preventing HIV disease globally. The program is funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) through a T32 mechanism, and supports 2 new fellows each year–one a physician specializing in adult or pediatric infectious diseases, and one a social/behavioral scientist or a graduate with a doctoral degree from a relevant professional field (such as psychology, public health, public policy, sociology, anthropology, biological sciences, etc).

The fellowship lasts 3 years, and a successful graduate of the training program will have secured a master’s degree (or completed equivalent work); completed at least one major HIV prevention research project in a developing country; participated in other research projects; made a research presentation in at least one major scientific conference; published as a first author in leading scientific journals; and received a multiyear grant related to HIV prevention in the developing world to take into a first faculty position.

Original research is the heart of the fellowship, and our efforts are focused on ensuring that fellows successfully transition into independent investigators. In Year 1, fellows design a research protocol and also write the first draft of an initial grant. They will also have access to large data sets and engage in secondary data analyses and submit papers for publication.

Academic training will focus on the completion of a master’s degree in public health, public policy, or clinical research from UCLA (or completion of equivalent work). Fellows will learn the fundamentals of quantitative and qualitative research. In addition, fellows will participate in ongoing seminars, peer review, and relevant conferences. Professional development will focus on grant preparation, data analysis, manuscript preparation, presentation and teaching skills, and grant writing. We offer focused training in the ethical conduct of research, with an emphasis on the difficult and evolving issues of conducting research in resource-poor settings.

     

Dr. Dvora Joseph Davey, a former T32 fellow, presented her dissertation                                                                                                                                                                                                     papers at the 2016 International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa.

 

If you would like to apply or learn more information about the fellowship program, please click here.