Research Training

Research Training   Role of the Preceptor   Training Opportunities       Post-Doctoral     Graduate     Medical Students     Undergraduates     Community   Training Activities     Specialized Training for   Clinical Research   How to Apply     Training Stipends     Fellowship Opportunities         Broad Opportunities     Diversity Fellowships   Foreign Trainees    Additional Information

Training of researchers is an integral component of our mission at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and the McKnight Vision Research Center. Our comprehensive research training program offers mentored training experiences. Training is provided in the interdisciplinary areas of biomedical sciences, biomedical engineering, and clinical research. Both short and long-term opportunities are available for trainees at all levels.

Role of the Preceptor

All trainees must be accepted by a preceptor chosen from among the McKnight Vision Research Center investigators, who will serve as sponsor and mentor. The preceptor must have the time and resources available to serve in this role, as well as the specific expertise to provide the desired training.

The preceptor develops a program of individualized training with the trainee and is responsible for overseeing the trainee’s progress through the training program.

Training centers on a research project. The trainee is guided in research project planning, execution, and data analysis. The trainee will learn to review and evaluate the research and scientific literature. Preceptors also provide for technical skills training, as well as scientific disciplinary education necessary to the training program.

Additional guidance is provided in the preparation research results for presentation at group meetings and regional, national, and internal conferences. Preceptors further oversee preparation of abstracts and manuscripts for publication.

Trainees may observe clinical practice at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute with the approval of their preceptors and/or the preceptor’s clinician colleagues.

Training Opportunities

Post-Doctoral.  Scientists, clinicians, or clinician/scientists with doctoral degrees including the PhD, MD, or OD are invited to apply for post-doctoral research training positions.

The training period is arranged with the preceptor. Most post-doctoral training is long-term, ranging from one to three years. Short term training is possible under special circumstances.
Post-doctoral trainees receive a formal training certificate at Bascom Palmer’s yearly resident’s day exercises.

The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine operates a Postdoctoral Programs Office that provides the post-doctoral trainee with additional educational opportunities and a broader environment for collegial interaction. In a recent "Best Places for Postdocs” survey conducted by the international science news magazine The Scientist, the University of Miami was named as the second best institution.

Graduate.  The University of Miami offer a number of formal post-graduate opportunities for students seeking rigorous training in bioscience or biomedical engineering leading to the PhD, MD/PhD or MS degrees. McKnight Vision Research Center investigators are affiliated with the following University of Miami graduate programs:

Graduate Programs - School of Medicine
          Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (BMB)
          Neuroscience (NEU)
          Physiology & Biophysics (PB)
          Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)
          Microbiology & Immunology (MI)
          Molecular Cell & Developmental Biology (MCDB)
Graduate Programs - College of Engineering
          Biomedical Engineering (BME)

As formal degree-granting entities, the graduate programs have defined requirements for completion. Students apply to and are accepted into the specific disciplinary program of interest. The program provides a stipend for the student during the first year or two; thereafter, the stipend in picked up by the preceptor’s sponsored programs or by the preceptor’s department.

Required rotation through individual labs during the initial period of training gives the student the opportunity to experience different research projects and environments prior to deciding on a preceptor and lab for the dissertation work. If a student chooses the lab of a McKnight Vision Research Center investigator, additional focused training is provided in eye and vision research by our program.

Typical training periods required for completion of the formal graduate degree programs are as follows:

PhD programs - 4 years
MD/ PhD program - 7 years
MS programs - 2 years

Medical Students.  Students from the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, or other accredited US or foreign medical schools, are invited to apply for short or long-term research training experiences.

The training period is arranged with the preceptor. Students may work part-time during the school year. Full time, short-term training is possible over winter vacation and during the summer break. Short-term training is usually on a volunteer basis.

Long-term training would typically involve taking a year off from medical school studies and the student should plan ahead in order to allow enough time to apply for fellowship support.

Undergraduates.  Undergraduate students from the University of Miami or other US universities are invited to apply for short-term research training experiences.

The training period is arranged with the preceptor. Students may work part-time during the school year, or full-time during the summer. Training is usually on a volunteer basis.

Community.  Special arrangements can be made to provide opportunities for prospective community-based trainees at all levels, from high school students to junior faculty. 

The training period is arranged with the preceptor. Students may work part-time during the school year, or full-time during the summer. Training is usually on a volunteer basis. However specific opportunities are available for minorities and economically-disadvantaged students (please click the link or scroll down for more information).

Training Activities

Organized research training activities at the McKnight Vision Research Center include group meetings, a weekly lunch-time laboratory conference featuring research-in-progress presentations and educational lectures. A distinguished scientist seminar series and special seminars, workshops, and retreats involve Bascom Palmer faculty members as well as many invited guests from around the country and the globe.

All research trainees are also encouraged to participate in Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s clinical training activities. This includes a daily morning lecture, weekly clinical subspecialty group meetings, the weekly clinical grand rounds and a visiting professor series. The yearly resident’s day activities include research project presentations by all clinical trainees, clinical research overviews by faculty, and an endowed lecture from a distinguished outside speaker.

The Continuing Medical Education (CME) department at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute sponsors a variety of post-graduate programs to meet the needs of ophthalmologists in the region and beyond. A number of these involve areas of interest to researchers.

Participation in formal courses offered by the University of Miami can be arranged through the preceptor and/or research training director. Formal training outside the university is also possible. For example, some laboratory research trainees have applied for and been accepted into the National Eye Institute-sponsored course, "Fundamentals in Vision Research," which is held every other summer at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA.

Trainees typically attend at least one international conference. Laboratory research trainees attend the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) held each spring in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Clinical research trainees attend the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Specialized Training in Clinical Research

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s Biostatistics Center has a strong track-record of data management and coordinating center activities for externally-sponsored clinical trials. This group provides collaborative expertise to investigators and is instrumental in teaching the theory and methodology of research design and data management to clinical and research trainees.

The EPH 604 Clinical Trials course (offered through the Department of Epidemiology & Public Health) teaches planning, design, analysis and data management for clinical therapeutic and prophylactic trials, illustrated by case examples. Bascom Palmer faculty member Donald L. Budenz, MD, MPH directs this course.

The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine offers a Clinical Scientist Training Program (CSTP) designed for scientists and physicians engaged in biomedical research. This certificate program provides participants with skills necessary to design and conduct clinical or applied basic research. The CSTP consists of formal coursework, a seminar series, and a mentored research project. Clinical research post-doctoral trainees are encouraged to apply to the CSTP program.

How to Apply

To become a research trainee at the McKnight Vision Research Center, you must find a preceptor from among the faculty who has the time and resources to serve as your sponsor and mentor.
1.  The first step is to identify the area of training. Our research programs can be divided into three interdisciplinary research areas with associated research training. Click on the links below to review the programs and the investigators involved.

Laboratory Research
          Biomedical Sciences
          Biomedical Engineering
Clinical Research

2.  The next step is to determine the type of training desired, graduate training or other training.  
Graduate Training.  If your goal is to obtain a graduate degree (PhD, MD/PhD, MS), then you must apply directly to a graduate program. You will need to be accepted into your chosen graduate program by the program’s student selection committee (the process will take about a year). Once you are matriculating, you will be asked to select laboratory rotations. It is at this time that you would choose a preceptor from our program for your dissertation work.

Please click this link to go back to the section above that lists graduate programs with which McKnight Vision Research Center investigators are affiliated. Click the links in this section to view the different programs to determine which is of interest to you and to learn about the application process.

Other Training.  For all other types of training, please contact the responsible faculty member listed below, preferably by email. The faculty member will want to know what kind of training you desire and what time you are able to commit to your training. In your email, please include a resume that includes educational history and relevant research or clinical experience.

Foreign Applicants

In keeping with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s commitment to global exchange, the McKnight Vision Research Center welcomes trainees from around the world.

Collegial interactions between Bascom Palmer faculty members and the foreign trainee’s chairman can facilitate opportunities for research. It should be understood that foreign trainees are typically expected to bring funding from the home country. We will provide as much assistance as possible with fellowship applications.

Foreign research trainees must allow at least 3 months (preferably longer) for the processing of visas. J1 visas are supported by the department of ophthalmology for training periods of three to six months (short term scholars) or for six months to three years (research fellows).

The requirements for the J1 visa include:
          Hospitalization Insurance (required)
          Curriculum Vitae
          Proof of highest degree
          Current photograph
          Proof of outside funding source if stipend is not provided through the preceptor

Training Stipends

Training stipends for graduate students are funded through the graduate programs as described above. Funding opportunities for other positions are less certain.

Our laboratory investigators hire post-doctoral associates and fellows as part of their sponsored programs, but they must seek highly qualified trainees to implement their specific aims. When funding becomes available for these positions, they are usually reserved for trainees with substantial laboratory training, a good publication record, and outstanding recommendations. Most preceptors will favor US citizens or permanent residents over foreign applicants because of National Institute’s of Health funding opportunities.

Clinical research programs only rarely have post-doctoral funding available. When positions do arise there are very specific requirements.

With these observations stated, it should be recognized that post-doctoral funding opportunities do arise, and it is worth checking by email for availability.

For medical student, undergraduate, and community trainees, it is usually a requirement that the student agree to be a volunteer.

Fellowship Opportunities

We strongly encourage all trainees to seek fellowship opportunities. These serve the immediate purpose of providing the trainee with a stipend. Additionally and perhaps more importantly - because fellowships are reviewed by the preceptor’s national peers, award of a fellowship is an honor and a significant credential for the trainee’s resume. It should be noted that US applicants usually have an advantage over foreign applicants for highly competitive fellowships from US agencies.

PLEASE NOTE: Fellowship applications must be made together with your preceptor.

Broad Opportunities.  Following are externally-sponsored fellowship opportunities that have provided funding for our research trainees in the past:

Fight for Sight offers post-doctoral fellowships and summer fellowships for undergraduates, medical students, or graduate students. All Fight for Sight-supported research must be conducted in the United States and Canada. There are no citizenship requirements for these awards.

Applications must be completed and submitted by the following deadlines:
       Summer Student Fellowships – FEBRUARY 1 for a June start date
       Postdoctoral Fellowships – MARCH 1 for a June start date

Postdoctoral Fellowships support individuals with the potential to become independent eye researchers or academic ophthalmologists. Candidates must be within three years of their doctorate degree, or within three years of the completion of their residency training. For applicants who have not yet received their degree, a letter must accompany the application indicating that the doctorate will be awarded before the commencement of the fellowship. Clinical Fellows must have adequate time and resources available to complete the research project. The award can be used as a stipend or to offset research expenses. In cases where the award is used for supplies and equipment, the fellow’s salary may not be paid from another granting agency. Awards are for an amount of $20,000.

Summer Student Fellowships are offered to currently enrolled undergraduates, medical students or graduate students who wish to explore ophthalmology or eye research as a career. Students are expected to complete a short, independent project during the summer months under the guidance of a senior scientist or clinician. The goal of this award is to advance the skills needed to initiate and carry out research in a scientific environment. Awards are for an amount of $2,100.

Research to Prevent Blindness offers medical student fellowships to allow gifted students to take a year off from medical school studies and devote time to the pursuit of a research project within an RPB Grantee department. The fellowship -- which must take place prior to the third or fourth year of medical school -- will be funded for one year. A portion of the grant should be utilized to help finance the recipient's eye research activities. It is neither intended that the program become a vehicle to assure the candidate a residency, nor that it be exploited to simply provide technical assistance. Both the candidate and the training program proposed are evaluated in the review process.

Applications must be completed and submitted through the department chairman by the following deadlines:
       JANUARY 1 for a start date of June 1
       JULY 1 for a start date of January 1 of the next year

Howard Hughes Medical Institute offers one year fellowships for medical students who wish to take a year off from their studies for research. Applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. medical or dental school and the fellowship research may be conducted at any academic or nonprofit institution in the United States, except the National Institutes of Health. For the 2009 competition: An annual stipend of $27,000, an annual fellow's allowance of $5,500, and an annual research allowance of $5,500 is provided.

Applications must be completed and submitted by the following deadlines:
       JANUARY for a start date in June (see website for specific annual date)

The National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health offers the F32 mechanism for post-doctoral research training. The F32 Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship provides a stipend and funds to help defray tuition, fees, health insurance, and research expenses. Support is generally for two or three years and is done under the guidance of a mentor or committee of mentors described in the application.

Applications must be completed and submitted by the following deadlines:
       F32 applications can be submitted three times per year: APRIL 8,
       AUGUST 8, and DECEMBER 8.

Please allow up to six months for notification of award, and nine months for funding to start after the application is made.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL F-SERIES GRANTS REQUIRE THAT APPLICANTS BE US CITIZENS, NON-CITIZEN NATIONALS, OR LAWFULLY ADMITTED TO THE US FOR PERMAMENT RESIDENCE

Diversity Fellowships.  Prospective research trainees who are members of a minority group or from economically disadvantaged backgrounds are eligible for fellowship support or funded through the following programs:

Howard Hughes Medical Institute  has awarded a grant to support a new science education program directed towards minority and economically-disadvantaged members of the Miami-Dade community. A partnership between the University of Miami and Miami-Dade College, the $1.9 million grant is intended to ensure the preparation of future leaders in the growing field of the biomedical sciences. At UM, the grant broadens the undergraduate student experience with new classes and programs, future faculty development, and outreach programs to educate students from high school through post-doctorate.

Please contact one of the faculty members listed above for more information.

The National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health offers several mechanisms for research training directed towards minorities those with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Applications must be completed and submitted by the following deadlines:
       F32 – applications can be submitted three times per year: APRIL 8,
       AUGUST 8, and DECEMBER 8.
       Diversity Supplement – applications for can be made at any time

Please allow up to six months for notification of award, and nine months for funding to start after the application is made.

The F31 Individual Predoctoral Fellowship provides a stipend and funds to help defray tuition, fees, health insurance, and research expenses. Support may not exceed five years. Eligible individuals are those from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, those with disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research seeks to recruit and support eligible investigators from groups which have been underrepresented. Individuals from the high school through the faculty level may be proposed for funding. Administrative supplements will be provided to existing NEI R01, R24, R41, R42, R43, R44, U01, and U10 grants. Funds may be requested for salary and additional research-related expenses appropriate to the level of the individual proposed for supplemental support.

Eligible applicants include:

1. A. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/). In addition, it is recognized that under-representation can vary from setting to setting and individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be convincingly demonstrated to be underrepresented by the grantee institution are eligible for support under this program.
    
2. Individuals with disabilities, which are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
    
3. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds which are defined as:
    
1. Individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds.
    
2. Come from a social, cultural, or educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that have demonstrably and recently directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career. Eligibility related to a disadvantaged background is most applicable to high school and perhaps to undergraduate candidates, but would be more difficult to justify for individuals beyond that level of academic achievement.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL F-SERIES GRANTS AND RESEARCH SUPPLEMENTS REQUIRE THAT APPLICANTS BE US CITIZENS, NON-CITIZEN NATIONALS, OR LAWFULLY ADMITTED TO THE US FOR PERMAMENT RESIDENCE

Additional Information

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