Expand your strengths and interests in research through an NIH T32 training grant program in the Section of General Surgery. We offer training in health services, obesity research, and surgical oncology research.
T32 training programs provide funded, structured, and mentored time for aspiring MD and PhD scientists to focus on inquiry into some of the most important and timely issues in the field.
Learn more about the following T32-funded programs that are offered.
Program Directors: Jennifer Waljee, MD, MPH, MS and Richard Hirth, PhD
Application Deadline: December 31st
This training program focuses on four broad pedagogic competencies to train the next generation of researchers to address issues related to quality, safety, effectiveness, access, and costs in the health system:
- Understanding the fundamentals of health services problems and issues;
- Understanding theory and methods from social science and health science disciplines, and how they can be applied to health services problems and issues;
- Conducting health services research, both in an independent and leading role as well as a supporting team-based role; and
- Developing oneself continually as a health services scholar.
The program is designed to produce independent investigators by providing a solid academic foundation, experience in the conduct of health services research, and socialization into the normative behavior of high quality, ethically sensitive research and its associated values. This program is intended for both predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships, though for predoctoral students is usually utilized in the first one to two years of study.
Trainees will gain research experience through courses, participation on research teams led by faculty, and independent development and leadership of their own research projects. From the beginning, trainees will also be immersed in one or more research teams led by their faculty mentors and given roles that will allow them to develop new skills and contribute meaningfully to various aspects of the project.
Coursework for both predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees will be based on the Health Services Organization and Policy predoctoral curriculum in Health Management and Policy. Given the more advanced career stage of postdoctoral trainees, they will participate in a selected subset of courses from the predoctoral curriculum. The postdoctoral trainees’ coursework will vary across individuals depending on prior training. The course curriculum consists of the following components:
- Health and health services and the structure of operation of the health system (10 credit hours)
- Research methods, applied statistics and epidemiology (12 credit hours)
- Cognate disciplinary theory and methods (24 – 27 credit hours)
- Intra- and cross-disciplinary integration (9 – 12 credit hours)
The program combines clinical and social science perspectives, and leverages connections to key stakeholders such as provider organizations and payers.
Fellows will receive a stipend, benefits, travel funds, and additional research support. A salary supplement is available for PhD applicants.
To apply, please send the following to [email protected]:
- A cover letter describing your research interests, experience, and career plans in the area of health services research
- A curriculum vitae
- One current letter of reference, preferably from a faculty member in your doctoral program
- A copy of your best written work
Applications will be reviewed after the closing date. Candidates will be notified by February 1st if invited for an interview and March 31st if offered a spot in the training program.
Program Directors: Randy Seeley, PhD, Justin Dimick, MD, MPH
Application Deadline: March 28th, 2025
This two-year training program is structured around supervised research projects and a required core curriculum. The goal of the program is to ensure that each trainee:
- Design, implement, and report a research project
- Obtain formal instruction on fundamental research methods
- Obtain instruction on fundamental biological principles
Because of the differences in research methodology, there will be two tracks: 1) basic mechanistic science, and 2) outcomes and health servies research. A core curriculum of didactic instructional courses and seminars are prescribed for each trainee to enhance knowledge in health systems, economics, policy, and clinical and health services research methods.
This unique training program leverages the experience of faculty members across multiple departments and disciplines including Internal Medicine (metabolism, endocrinology, diabetes, cardiology), School of Kinesiology, Pediatrics (pulmonology, health policy, Department of Surgery (gastrointestinal surgery, minimally invasive and bariatric surgery, acute care surgery), Transplant Surgery and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. In addition to project-based learning and didactic coursework, trainees will participate in conferences for “cross-fertilization” of ideas to combine basic science and clinical outcomes research. In creating a culture that innovates at the intersection of these two fields, trainees will be able to fully maximize the opportunities of this interdisciplinary approach. Ultimately, this program will prepare scientists and surgeon-scientists for a career dedicated to studying obesity surgery.
Candidates must be citizens of the United States or permanent residents with a terminal clinical or research degree (e.g. MD, PhD).
To begin the application process, please send your curriculum vitae and a letter describing your research interests and/or questions to [email protected].
Program Directors: Weiping Zou, MD, PhD, Jacqueline Jeruss, MD, PhD
Application Deadline: March 14th
The Section of General Surgery offers research training positions for postdoctoral candidates who are MDs through an NIH T32 Training Grant entitled, "U-M Medical School Surgical Oncology Research Training Program". The objective of this training program is to provide didactic teaching and research training for surgical residents who are interested in pursuing academic careers in surgical oncology. Trainees are matched to senior mentors who have research programs that are oncology-related. Mentors can be associated with any department within U-M.
The program supports the stipend of the trainee as well as an allowance for travel expenses and educational courses. Didactic curriculums include participation in the Academic Association of Surgery course in Fundamentals of Surgical Research and the Tumor Biology course given by faculty of the UM Rogel Cancer Center. There are three positions available each year in this program. A one-year appointment is awarded with a second year anticipated.
Completed applications must be submitted by March 14th of each year for consideration of a start date of August 1st.
Your application will require:
- Completion of the online application
- A current Biosketch uploaded to your online application
- A Research Plan with specific aims uploaded to your online application
- One (1) recommendation letter from your primary mentor sent to: [email protected]
Trainees are selected based on the following:
- Academic credentials and recommendations
- Strong interest in cancer research and a desire for an academic career in surgical oncology
Discover the spaces where you'll train, learn and practice at the University of Michigan Medical School Department of Surgery. As one of the largest training programs in the country, we provide unparalleled opportunities for our learners. Explore the clinical, work and common areas where you’ll train and grow as a physician.
