T32 Global Fellowship
The objective of the Boston University Medical Campus-Massachusetts General Hospital Global Psychiatry Clinical Research Training Program is to develop independent clinical scientists who can address the most pressing global mental health challenges. Postdoctoral fellows will be prepared to work collaboratively across disciplines and cultures in order to respond to the substantial burden of mental health related diseases in low- to middle-income countries and resource-limited areas, and to develop strategies that advance global delivery and scale-up of mental health services, improve general wellbeing, and foster overall country development. This three-year postdoctoral clinical research training program administered by Boston Medical Center (BMC) combines rigorous didactic instruction, clinical research methods training from Boston University and Harvard University, practice in working effectively with disadvantaged communities, and immersive, mentored clinical research experiences in global settings. A maximum of four fellows are drawn from a deep pool of talent and mentored by a range of faculty who are recognized leaders in major psychiatric subspecialties as well as clinical research approaches. Each fellow has at least one senior mentor at their primary training site (BUMC or MGH), an onsite mentor at the international site, and an additional mentor specializing in research methods depending on individual needs and experience. Fellows complete a mentored research project at one of six international training site in Barbados, Ethiopia, Kenya, Peru, Uganda or Ukraine on topics such as psychotic disorders, HIV mental health, PTSD & trauma, perinatal mental health, substance use, mood disorders, and childhood disorders. They will utilize a variety of research skills and techniques to understand the scope of a problem, and to develop innovative interventions that are feasible and clinically relevant to the specific environments and populations. Fellows are expected to be well situated for a NIH or equivalent K award application by the end of the third year of the program. With heavily circumscribed clinical responsibilities, trainees focus on the refinement of their research projects, developing international collaborations, and strengthening their clinical research skills.