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George L. Adams Head and Neck Cancer Research Fellowship
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota is pleased to announce the George L Adams Head and Neck Cancer Research Fellowship, which is intended to provide international scholars an opportunity for a 6-, 12-, or 24-month full-time research experience in the Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Although head and neck cancer accounts for only about 3% of cancers in the United States, it is much more prevalent in many other parts of the world. This fellowship is intended to extend the reach of global initiatives begun by the Department of Otolaryngology to countries with higher rates of head and neck cancer. We hope to provide international scholars with the opportunity to collaborate with our faculty and to develop their research skills, and to establish international partnerships with outstanding universities across the globe. Our long-term goal is to establish a cohort of international scholars dedicated to the study of preventing, treating, and caring long-term for head and neck cancer patients throughout the world.
About the Program
Research at the University of Minnesota Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery includes a breadth of programs, including basic science study of cell signaling, biomarker work, and the development of new therapeutics. However, we are especially unique in our interest in chemoprevention, in clinical epidemiology/health services research, and in bioimaging.
The program offers a scholar:
Research opportunities for full-time work over 6 months, 12 months or 24 months
Office space and mentorship from multiple centers in the university, including the Cancer Center, the Clinical Translational Science Institute, the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, and the department itself
$5000 scholarship funding for research or coursework for each 6-month period
Opportunities to observe head and neck oncologic surgical care
It is important to note that we do not have the funds to provide salary or living stipends. Salary and benefits must be supported by the scholar’s home institution. Successful applicants to the program are therefore likely to be faculty or senior trainees from an international educational institution.
Curricula
The 6 month curriculum provides an introductory research experience, with the focus likely on secondary analyses of existing research or clinical data. We believe 6 months is enough time to develop a limited project with hypotheses and specific aims and complete pre-existing data analyses for the project; report preparation can be finalized after the 6 month fellowship. We would expect at least one abstract to be accepted and at least one paper published.
The 12 month curriculum provides a more meaningful research experience. We would expect the fellow to develop a hypothesis with appropriate study/experimental design, and to collect data of their own. We anticipate that fellows may wish to take a graduate level course on data analyses, study design, or relevant topics. The fellow will complete data analysis, abstract submission, and paper writing during their fellowship program, but final report(s) preparation may need to be completed after completion of the fellowship. We would expect at least two abstract submissions and two papers to be completed from work during the 12-months of work.
The 24 month curriculum represents an in-depth research experience that allows the fellow the opportunity to pursue a complex basic science study or a prospective clinical study. The fellow may wish to augment their experience with a more formal curriculum in biostatistics, biomarkers, epidemiology, or longitudinal data analyses, among other topics. We anticipate that a major project should be completed in the 24-month interval. We would expect at least three abstract submissions and two high quality papers to be completed during this period.
Applications
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis because openings will depend largely on the length of the experiences of existing fellows. Our next round of applications will be due on January 1, 2019, with the earliest start date of September 1, 2019.
We remind you that a key element of this fellowship is that the fellow's salary and/or benefits are to be supported by their home institution. This is an unpaid research position, with the fellow being responsible for all travel and living expenses.
Required Qualifications:
• Must be Head and Neck Oncologic Surgeon in practice at an international (non-US/Canada) educational institution
• Must have completed residency and fellowship training
• Must be able to obtain J1 Visa
• Demonstration of financial means to support oneself for the duration of the fellowship
To Apply:
• Complete application (link above)
• Have three letters of recommendation sent to creding@umn.edu
If you have any questions regarding the fellowship or would like more information, please contact creding@umn.edu.