Biosocial Predoctoral Training Program

Predoctoral trainees in the Biosocial Training Program join a vibrant community of faculty, research staff, and postdoctoral scholars engaged in research at the nexus of social and health sciences. The structure of the program is designed to allow trainees the flexibility to develop expertise in specific areas of interest, while still ensuring a common grounding in integrative theory, methods, and measures.

Directors and Participating Faculty

Program Directors

Participating Faculty

Program Requirements

Mentorship and Research Practicum

Incoming pre-doctoral trainees assemble a team of two co-mentors. At least one of the mentors must be from a discipline that is different from the pre-doctoral home department. In addition, at least one of the mentors must be a current CPC faculty fellow. A list of current CPC fellows can be found here. The team meets regularly to review the trainee’s progress in meeting goals, offer recommendations about new activities and opportunities, and provide professional guidance as the trainee prepares grant and job applications.

Trainees also work with their mentoring team to develop a research practicum that utilizes on integrative theory, methods, and measures. Generally, the research practicum is based on the funded research project of one of our training faculty; ideally, the project includes faculty from both the health and social sciences and is producing manuscripts that lead to presentation and publication in diverse scientific disciplines, while also maintaining work that can be published in the trainee’s home disciplinary area. Trainees are expected to devote 10 hours per week to their practicum.

Coursework

Predoctoral trainees are required to complete a total of 15 hours of coursework. These courses fall into four categories:

• Introductory Integration Course: This course, taught by the Program Directors, provides an initial exposure to integrated health science.
• Gap area courses: We require trainees to take two substantive courses in their gap area (health sciences for students entering from the social sciences; social sciences for students entering from the health sciences)
• Professionalization seminar: This weekly seminar provides a context and forum to advance trainees’ understanding of the ethical, professional, and scientific issues associated with the integration of the social and biological/health sciences.
• Advanced Integration Course: This “capstone” course that provides in-depth training on the integration of theory and methods that support integrative approaches.
• Approved Biosocial Courses

Model Course Sequence for Pre-doctoral Trainees

Year 2

Year 3

Conference Attendance

All predoctoral trainees are required to submit abstracts to interdisciplinary and gap discipline national conferences or to present interdisciplinary research within their home discipline conferences. As part of this requirement, Biosocial predoctoral trainees must attend the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Sciences (IAPHS), a annual meeting for researchers using integrative approaches in population health. Trainees are required to submit an abstract and present their work at the annual UNC Symposium on Biosocial Approaches to Population Health Across the Life Course. This symposium includes oral and poster presentations, and a lunch presentation by a leading junior researcher.

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research and Scientific Rigor and Reproducibility

In addition to completing online trainings on these topics during their initial appointment year, trainees are required to attend a minimum of four different approved sessions on research ethics and two different sessions on scientific rigor and reproducibility each appointment year.

Eligibility, Stipend/Benefits, and Application Process

Applications are now open for new Biosocial trainees for the AY 2025-2026. Applications are accepted via the Qualtrics survey linked below. Also linked is a pdf version of the application for review and preparation purposes. Please note that applicants will be asked to identify two program faculty with whom they have been in contact and who have agreed to act as a preceptor for them if they are admitted to the program. At least one of these faculty must also be a CPC Fellow.

To be considered for the program, applications must be submitted via the Qualtrics Survey link by January 15, 2025.

Application Survey Link

PDF Version of Application

Please contact Training Manager, Margaret Swingler (margaret.swingler@unc.edu), with any questions.

We welcome applications from UNC-Chapel Hill predoctoral students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. Applicants must be nearing completion of coursework in their home discipline and be ready to significantly enhance their training with interdisciplinary coursework, seminars, and a research apprenticeship. Students from any academic program are eligible to apply.

Trainees selected for funding will be supported by a T32 grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Funded trainees receive a monthly stipend, in-state tuition, travel support, mandatory fees and insurance premiums, and office space, equipment use, and support services from CPC. Traineeship awards are made on a 12-month basis.

Trainees not selected for funding may be invited to join the program as non-stipended trainees. Non-stipended trainees receive travels support, office space, equipment use, and access to CPC support service.

All trainees, whether stipended or non-stipended, are appointed for a 12 month period and must reapply to the program each year.

Contact

Please email cpc_tp@unc.edu with any questions about the Biosocial Training Program.