UCSF T32 MSK Training Program

UCSF Musculoskeletal Training Program T32 Fellowship – Request for Applications

Key Dates
Application Deadline: May 1, 2024 by 5:00 pm PST
Awardees notified around late May 2024
Start Date must be before July 1, 2024

Any questions should be sent to [email protected]

The mission of the UCSF Musculoskeletal (MSK) Training Program is to prepare a diverse community of Ph.D. scientists and M.D. or M.D./Ph.D. residents and fellows for a lifetime of scholarly pursuits that lead to in-depth understanding and improved care of patients with MSK diseases. The MSK T32 program is seeking applications for the inaugural class of fellows eager to push the boundaries of MSK science, and in doing so, advance the field in fundamental ways. One-year training slots are available on a competitive basis to trainees proposing research in any area of musculoskeletal science, for projects across all UCSF campuses.

Application Deadline:

Applications may be submitted by email to Aaron Fields no later than 5:00 p.m. PST, on the Due Date listed above. Early submission is encouraged. We have three slots that are available immediately and need to be activated by July 1, 2024.
Please see below for the application package requirements

Trainee eligibility requirements:

The trainee must fit the NIH T32 eligibility criteria for postdoctoral fellowships: “U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled in a research or clinical postdoctoral program.”
The trainee cannot already have received more than 2 years of prior NIH postdoctoral Fellowship-level training support (T32, F32, etc.) at the time that this award starts. Fellows are allowed a maximum of 3 years of combined NIH postdoctoral Fellowship-level training.
Trainees must have received a Ph.D. or M.D. or equivalent.
Trainee selection will be based on previous scholarly record, proposed research, potential translational value, mentor commitment, and the likelihood that the proposed training will result in a highly impactful contribution to MSK research.
Trainees who are appointed to the T32 are expected to participate in and present at UCSF CCMBM/Orthopaedic Surgery enrichment activities, such as grand rounds, research retreats and journal clubs, as well as provide materials needed to fulfill grant reporting requirements.

Mentor requirements:

The mentor should be a UCSF faculty member with an established training record. Co- mentorship is allowed. The mentor does not need to be in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
The mentor is expected to provide a strong training environment and support the trainee’s participation in MSK T32-related research and mentoring activities.
The mentor should be able to demonstrate adequate funding to support the trainee and proposed research. See Award requirements for additional details.

Award requirements:

The project must be broadly related to MSK basic or clinical science.
This award is for a 1 year duration and must be started before July 1, 2024. Applications for 2 years of T32 fellowship support will be considered, and re-appointment to the T32 for a second year will be considered on a competitive basis, including evaluating research publications, progress and potential, success in achieving IDP goals and milestones, and training commitment.
All NRSA Training grants require a payback agreement. This impacts individuals differently, but typically, payback is required only for the first year of NIH NRSA fellowship support and is usually satisfied by one year of continued research-related activity. Please discuss with us if you have any questions.
The T32 grant provides a stipend based on the NIH experience scale, and support for trainee benefits, including up childcare costs.
The mentor or mentor’s department is required to provide any additional support for any “funding gap,” up to the UCSF required salary and benefit levels and guided by current contracts and policies.
Up to $1000 is available for travel to an academic research conference

Application procedure:

Please submit the following items, in order, in 1 PDF file by email to Aaron Fields at [email protected] by the submission deadline

Coverpage, with the following information:
- Name of the Applicant
- Email address and phone number
- Project Title
- Years of postdoctoral experience
- Dates of any prior NIH NRSA-supported postdoctoral training
- Citizenship status
- Name of the mentor
- Mentor’s email address and phone number
1 page research proposal, describing your research plan but not including references. Please include a brief statement of how your proposal is relevant to musculoskeletal science. Up to 1 additional page may be included for references.

1 page training proposal, describing your training goals and objectives, and planned activities under your fellowship to achieve those goals.
NIH Fellowship Biosketch of the applicant. In the personal statement section (max ½ page), please briefly describe your long-term goals, your mentoring plan, and how this grant will be beneficial to your career development (see the NIH Biosketch Format page for instructions and templates; make sure to use the Fellowship biosketch format!)
NIH Biosketch(es) of the mentor(s).
Letter from the mentor (max 1 page), describing the mentor’s contributions/support for the study, a brief mentorship plan, that the mentor will provide funding for research expenses and any salary/benefits gap, and that the mentor supports the trainee’s participation in the UCSF CCMBM/Department of Orthopaedic Surgery activities.

Application timeline:

Application Deadline: May 1, 2024 by 5:00 pm PST
Awardees notified around late May 2024
Start Date must be before July 1, 2024

Any questions should be sent to [email protected]

Stipends & Benefits

Childcare Benefits for Postdoctoral Scholars

As of Oct. 1, 2024, postdoctoral scholars are eligible to be reimbursed for up to $2,600 per year for qualifying childcare expenses. Eligible dependents include those who are age 12 or under as of the date the expense is incurred and who are living in the postdoctoral scholar's home (includes Foster Care/Adoption and shared custody arrangements).

Learn more about reimbursement requirements and deadlines on the UCSF HR website here.

T32 Scholar Conference Travel Stipend

As part of the T32 program, we have set aside up to $1,000 per scholar to cover travel-related expenses to a conference related to their research. Travel must take place before March 31, 2025. Eligible expenses include hotel, airfare, and incidentals.

Please contact Aaron Fields before booking any conference travel.

Training-related Expense Reimbursement Stipend

As part of the T32 program, we have set aside as needed funds to cover training-related expenses. Eligible expenses include research supplies, equipment, software, and core services.

Please contact Aaron Fields to determine if your expense is reimbursable under this stipend.

T32 Scholar Continuing Education & Tuition Stipend

For trainees that would like additional coursework, we have set aside funds which can be applied towards specific courses across multiple departments at UCSF.

Learn more about examples of eligible courses for the Fall 2024 quarter below. If you are interested in taking any of these courses next quarter, please contact Aaron Fields.

EPI 212 - Publishing & Presenting Research
Design and execution are the first steps of a research project; publishing and disseminating the results are its culmination. The class will introduce all aspects of health research-related writing and communication in the modern age. We will focus on traditional forms of dissemination (i.e., abstracts, posters, presentations and publications) as well as emerging formats.

DATASCI 224 - Understanding Machine Learning: From Theory to Applications
This course teaches the mathematical foundations of machine learning (ML). Each week, the course surveys a different algorithm to examine its underlying machinery, covering topics such as linear algebra, calculus, and optimization. ML algorithms range from linear models to gradient boosting and deep learning. The course also discusses newer concepts such as model fairness and ML for causal inference. Upon course completion, students should be able to learn new ML algorithms independently.

BIOSTAT 215 - Advanced Approaches to the Analysis of Observational Data
A common goal of observational clinical or epidemiologic research is to estimate the causal effect of particular exposures or interventions on some health outcome. While causation-oriented research has long been practiced, recent methodologic work has more sharply placed into view what it means and what is needed to estimate causal effects. In particular, there are newer alternatives that may be better than conventional stratification or regression approaches to reduce confounding in observational research. This course will describe more advanced methods that may yield better estimates causal effects than standard approaches.

Workshops & Classes

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Courses

RCR coursework is an NIH requirement. UCSF offers two separate training tracks, one for basic science trainees and another for clinical and translational science trainees to fulfill this requirement.

Trainees in both tracks are strongly encouraged to enroll in BIO 273 - Introduction to Biostatistics and will be required to attend a CCMBM workshop.

BASIC SCIENCE TRAINEES:

Basic Sciences Responsible Conduct of Research
Next Offered: Winter 2026
The purpose of this course is to ensure that basic sciences researchers are well versed with respect to training in responsible conduct in research (RCR). Attendees also gain an understanding of federal, state, and UCSF policies and resources available to further support their research endeavors. The course will be delivered in Mission Bay, and each session will include a lecture followed by a breakout session.

CLINICAL/TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE TRAINEES:

EPI 150.03 - Designing Clinical Research

Next Offered: Summer 2025

This online course guides residents and students through the essential components for writing a clinical research protocol, developed around their own clinical research question. Students attend lectures and small group seminars as well as being given the opportunity for an optional peer review session in the last week of the course. The course will cover research questions, hypotheses, specific aims, study types, sample size estimation, power calculations, and data analysis.

Human Subjects Responsible Conduct of Research
Next Offered: Spring 2025
This RCR course is designed for researchers who work with human subjects or data derived from human subjects (e.g. clinical, survey, EHR, or ethnographic data). The course is comprised of video and in-person lectures, readings, case studies, and weekly real-time small group discussions via Zoom. It addresses requirements and regulations for human subjects research, including IRB approval and consent.

K-Grant Writing Workshop
Application Deadline: June 3, 2025

The Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Training Program offers a workshop three times per year for approximately 4-8 UCSF research scholars (fellows or early junior faculty), who are planning to apply for a K-series grant in patient-oriented research. This is a structured set of faculty-facilitated works-in-progress sessions, focused on writing a mentored K-grant, for submission during the upcoming K-cycle due date. Because of the emphasis on training and career development, the K grant requires specific elements that differ from traditional investigator-initiated grants. These additional elements are the emphasis of this workshop.

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UCSF T32 MSK Training Program

UCSF Musculoskeletal Training Program T32 Fellowship – Request for Applications

Stipends & Benefits

Workshops & Classes