Applications

Tulane Program to Advance Representation in Minority Health Research (Tulane ARMHR)

Applications for Research Training Experiences starting Summer 2025 are due by Friday, January 10th, 2025, at 12:00pm.

How to Apply

The Tulane Program to Advance Representation in Minority Health Research (Tulane ARMHR) is currently accepting applications in the following categories:

  1. Short-term (10-12 weeks) master's degree program - For students currently enrolled in an accredited master's level training programs (including MPH, MSPH, MSW, MS, MA, and other master's degree programs). Please note that fluency in Spanish is required for the Dominican Republic and Peru.
     
  2. Short-term (10-12 weeks) doctoral degree program - For students currently enrolled in an accredited doctoral level training programs (including PhD, DrPH, ScD). Students in health professional programs leading to a degree such as MD, DO, and DDS are not eligible to apply. Please note that fluency in Spanish is required for the Dominican Republic and Peru.
     
  3. Long-term (12 months) doctoral degree program - For students currently enrolled in doctoral level training programs in the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Due to logistical constraints, doctoral students from other schools in Tulane University and from other institutions are not eligible to apply. Please note that fluency in Spanish is required for the Dominican Republic and Peru.

COVID-19 Contingency Plans: While we will plan for Tulane ARMHR trainees to be able to travel and conduct research activities while implementing COVID-19 safety precautions, we cannot be certain that Tulane University policies will allow for in-person interactions for research activities or for research-related travel at that time. All planned travel, international training site placements, and research activities that involve in-person interactions with other people (both in the U.S. and internationally) are subject to program approval based on Tulane University COVID-19 travel policies in place at the time of the proposed activity. Research plans may need to be revised based on these policies, and program directors will work with program trainees and mentors to identify acceptable alternatives when necessary.

Potential applicants must identify a program-affiliated faculty mentor prior to submitting an application, and all applicants must have a signed mentor agreement form as part of their application package. 12-week program applicants are encouraged to discuss project ideas with program mentors but are not required to submit a research application. Long-term applicants, however, are required to provide a two-page research proposal that has been approved by their mentor as part of their application, along with a budget and other career-related documents (see list below). Applicants interested in submitting and applicant with a mentor who is not affiliated with the program should consult with Dr. Moses or Dr. Oberhelman as a first step. Program-affiliated mentors included:

New Orleans Site:

  • Katherine Andrinopolous, MHS, PhD
  • Thomas LaVeist, PhD
  • Patty Kissinger, PhD
  • David Seal, PhD
  • Katherine Theall, PhD
  • Chelsea Singleton, PhD

Jamaica Site:

  • Katherine Theall, PhD
  • Marshall Tulloch-Reid, MBBS, MPhil, DSc, FACE
  • Collette Cunningham-Myrie, MPH, MD, PhD

Dominican Republic Site:

  • Arachu Castro, PhD
  • Robert Paulino-Ramirez, MD, HIVS, DTM&H

Peru Site:

  • Richard Oberhelman, MD
  • Valerie Paz Soldan, PhD

Kenya Site:

  • Kristefer Stojanovski, PhD, MPH
  • Emmy Kageha Igonya, PhD

Sierra Leone Site:

  • Lina Moses, PhD
  • Rashid Ansurama, PhD

Applications: Complete and submit your application through the application portal (links are provided below). Each part of the application is important, and the application will not be reviewed unless all parts are submitted and received.

12-week summer Program (for masters and doctoral level applicants). Completed applications must include the following items:

  • Application form (downloadable form in application portal linked above)
  • Transcript of current program. If in the program for less than two semesters or three quarters, please include transcripts from prior programs
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Signed mentor agreement form (downloadable form in application portal linked above)
  • Two letters of recommendation, to be emailed directly to Robert Palestina at rpalesti@tulane.edu

12-month Program (for doctoral candidates). *Please reach out to Robert Palestina (rpalesti@tulane.edu) before beginning the application process. Completed applications must include the following items:

  • Application form (downloadable form in application portal linked above)
  • Transcript of current program. If in the program for less than two semesters or three quarters, please include transcripts from prior programs.
  • Research proposal (two pages)—It is expected that applicants review the proposed research design extensively with their mentor. The recommended format is:
    • Specific Aims
    • Research Plan (overview)
      • Significance
      • Innovation  
      • Approach
    • Timeline for proposed scope of work
    • Human Subjects (describe the IRB process and timeline for approval)
    • References (should be provided but will not count towards the two-page limit)
  • Budget (one page)—$10,000 (maximum for research expenses only)
  • Statement of career goals (one page)
  • Plan for mentorship (one page--this should include specific areas of mentorship and frequency of meetings/calls with members on the mentorship committee)
  • Candidate's biosketch (NIH format for fellowships—see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm)
  • Primary mentor biosketch or CV
  • Signed mentor agreement form (downloadable form in application portal linked above)
  • At least two letters of recommendation, to be emailed directly to Robert Palestina at rpalesti@tulane.edu

Review of Applications
Each applicant will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary panel including U.S. and overseas mentors. In some cases, in-person interviews will be requested. Criteria used to evaluate applications include:

  • Relevance of proposal to health disparities
  • Scientific objectives of the applicant and how these are met by the program
  • Academic record and potential to succeed
  • Maturity and flexibility, as demonstrated by letters of support, statements in the application, and interviews

The application deadline for the Summer 2024 training experience is Friday, February 9th, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.