Application overview

  • The MTPCI Fall application cycle runs from September 15th – November  1st for a January start date.
  • The  MTPCI Spring application cycle runs from January 1st – April 15th for a July start date.

Only complete applications will be reviewed. Applications will not be considered as complete until all supporting documents have been submitted.

All application materials must be submitted online. Supporting documents may be updated and re-submitted online prior to the application deadline. Please note that the selection committee will only receive the last version uploaded for each document. Applicants may also attach notes within the online application system after the application form has been submitted if they wish for additional information (i.e., awards, publications, etc.) to be included during the selection process.

Program eligibility

  • Level of education: MTPCI scholars must possess a doctoral-level degree. This includes, but is not limited to: MD, PhD, Pharm D, DrPH, DO, DDS, PsyD, DOT, DPT, DC, DSN, or DNSc as well as biostatisticians, epidemiologists, behavioral scientists, and nurses with doctoral degrees.
  • Citizenship: Applicants must be citizens, non-citizen nationals of the United States, or permanent residents. Individuals on visas are not eligible.
  • Professional effort: All MTPCI scholars must be able to devote 60% professional effort to the program for a minimum of two years (50% for surgical specialties and interventionists).
  • Departmental support for salary and tuition must be provided throughout the duration of the program.
  • The Postdoctoral MTPCI strongly encourages applicants from outside the School of Medicine, including individuals outside WU, SLU, STLCOP, UMSL and SIUE.

Application materials

Applicants must complete and SUBMIT the online application form before supporting documents may be uploaded. This includes the Mentor Letter of Support and the Recommendation Letter.

1. Current Biosketch or Curriculum Vitae

Applicants must upload either their NIH Biosketch or an updated version of their Curriculum Vitae in the Washington University format.

NIH Biosketch Template and Example »

2. Career Development Plan

A three-page career development plan (timeline and references are not included in page count) should include, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Career goals
  • Past research experience and relevant past graduate coursework
  • Research mentor(s) and why they have been selected
  • Planned coursework to be taken during the Postdoctoral MTPCI, and how this coursework is beneficial to the identified research project
  • Add a timeline for planned coursework and research activities – up to one page
3. Research Plan

The required Research Plan should follow the standard NIH format (PHS 398).

Please note the new NIH requirements for this section around Rigor and Reproducibility: https://grants.nih.gov/faqs#/rigor-and-reproducibility.htm

The Research Plan includes:

  • Project Summary/Abstract (1 page limit)
  • Specific Aims & Research Strategy (Significance, Innovation, and Approach) (5 page limit)
    • A justification of sample size, including power calculations, should be described if quantitative analyses are proposed in your research plan.
  • Protection of Human Subjects, Inclusion of Women and Minorities, Inclusion of Children, Vertebrate Animals (3 page limit)
  • Targeted/Planned Enrollment Table (1 page limit)
  • Bibliography and References Cited/Progress Report Publication List (include PMCID # if applicable) and Consortium/Contractual Arrangements (No page limit)

All applicants must be conducting clinical, translational research. Clinical research is defined as patient-oriented research, that is, research conducted with humans subjects or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena, for which as investigator or colleague directly interacts with human subjects.

Translation is defined by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) as the process of turning observations in the laboratory, clinic and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public — from diagnostics and therapeutics to medical procedures and behavioral changes. Projects completed as part of this program may consist of pre-clinical, clinical, implementation, or public health research.  More information on the translational spectrum may be found on the NCATS website.

4. Mentor Letter of Support

Proposed mentors are required to submit a letter of support. Applicants must establish a relationship with the proposed mentor prior to submission of the MTPCI application. Please do not select a mentor without prior approval of the mentor.

The proposed mentor must provide a letter of support by the application deadline. Upon submission of the online application form, an email will be automatically generated to the mentor with guidelines and instructions on how to upload the required letter. It is the responsibility of the applicant to verify that the identified mentor has received the email. Applicants may view a confirmation of the documents that have been uploaded via the online application site.

Mentor Letters of Support should address the following items: 

  • The Mentor’s research qualifications in the area of the proposed research.
  • The candidate’s potential and his/her strengths and areas in need of improvement.
  • Plans for monitoring and evaluating the scholar’s progress toward independence.
  • Description of the quality and extent of the mentor’s proposed role in providing guidance and advice to the candidate.
  • The Mentor’s previous experience in fostering the development of independent investigators.
  • The Mentor’s previous research productivity and peer-reviewed support.

Mentor Letters must:

  • Be uploaded by the mentor, not the applicant
  • Include the mentor’s signature
  • Be submitted on the mentor’s letterhead
5. Department Chair Recommendation Letter

Each applicant’s Department Chair or Division Chief is required to submit a letter of support describing the applicant’s potential and guaranteeing the protected time (60%) required for participation in the MTPCI. This letter of support must be uploaded by the application deadline. Upon submission of the online application form, an email will be automatically generated to the identified Department Chair or Division Chief with guidelines and instructions regarding how to upload the required letter. It is the responsibility of the applicant to verify that the identified reference has received the email. The online application site provides applicants with a checklist on which they may view confirmation of the documents that have been uploaded to their application.

Department Chair/Division Head Letters of Support should address the following items: 

  • Intent to support the matriculation and continued studies of applicant in the CRTC MTPCI program.
  • Guarantee to provide a minimum of 60% protected time for the applicant (50% for surgeons) for two years.
  • Intent to provide tuition support for the applicant in the CRTC MTPCI program.
  • The applicant’s potential for an independent clinical research career in academics.

Letters of Recommendation must:

  • Be uploaded by the Department Chair or the Division Chief, not the applicant
  • Include the Department Chair or the Division Chief’s signature
  • Be submitted on letterhead

Required format for supporting documents

  • Black font of either Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype or Georgia
  • Font size of 11 points or larger (a symbol font may be used to insert Greek letters or special characters; the font size requirement still applies.)
  • Type density, including characters and spaces, must be no more than 15 characters per inch
  • Single spaced paragraph type
  • Margins should be at least one-half inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right) for all pages, including continuation pages
  • PDF versions are encouraged for supporting documents to form to preserve page limits and formatting; Alternate formats are allowed
  • Appendices are not allowed

Timeline for application cycle

Spring
  • January 1-April 15– Accepting applications
  • June: Scholars announced
  • July 1: Scholar start date
Fall
  • September 15-November 1: Applications accepted
  • December: Scholars announced
  • January 1: Scholar start date