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Application Process

Overview

The GHES fellowship is designed for pre-doctoral trainees from the U.S. and post-doctoral and post-professional trainees from the U.S. and LMICs.

Pre-doctoral trainees must be enrolled in a program leading to a PhD or in an equivalent research doctoral degree program. Health-professional students who wish to interrupt their studies for a year or more to engage in full-time research training before completing their formal training programs, are also eligible.

Postdoctoral trainees must have received, as of the beginning date of the training period, a Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., or comparable doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution. Comparable doctoral degrees include, but are not limited to, the following: D.M.D., DC, DO, DVM., OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, DPT, PharmD, ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), DSW, PsyD, as well as a doctoral degree in nursing research. Individuals in postgraduate clinical training, who wish to interrupt their studies for a year or more to engage in full-time research training before completing their formal training programs, are also eligible.

This is a mentored research training program, and your application must be completed with the input of your proposed mentors. GHES has designated mentor teams across the U.S. and LMIC institutions. In many instances, the mentor teams are already collaborating so if you propose to work with a specific GHES U.S. mentor, it is likely your LMIC mentor will be his/her collaborator and the other way around. All applicants must have a primary GHES U.S. mentor (defined as a faculty member at Stanford University, University of Arizona, University of California Berkeley, or Yale University) and a primary GHES LMIC mentor (defined as a faculty member at an institution in one of the GHES collaborating LMICs). You can propose to have additional mentors, however, you are required have one primary U.S. and one primary LMIC mentor that are part of the GHES program. U.S. post-doctoral and pre-doctoral applicants can be from any college or institution in the country. You do not have to be part of or affiliated with Stanford University, University of Arizona, University of California Berkeley, or Yale University to apply. However, you do need to have a professional relationship with a GHES U.S. mentor at one of these universities. LMIC post-doctoral applicants must be part of or affiliated with an institution in one of the GHES collaborating LMICs.

The application is available online. You can also preview all of the application questions and required materials here. For more information about the program and application process, please read these guidelines.

How to apply


1. Review the program eligibility criteria described below to ensure you are eligible to apply.
2. Review the application requirements below to familiarize yourself with the application questions and the materials you must submit.
3. Choose your research area.

  • We encourage research on health challenges that result from rapid urbanization and social inequities, challenges of delivering accessible and high-quality healthcare within resource-limited settings, and research on interventions that address the efficient management of scarce resources and innovative solutions to improving health services. Research areas include (but are not limited to) chronic and noncommunicable diseases, HIV/STIs and other infectious diseases, environmental health, maternal and child health, intentional and unintentional injuries, trauma, and mental health.
4. Choose your desired research training site and contact the affiliated mentors.

  • GHES has collaborations at research training sites in 24 LMICs. See the GHES website for information about the research training sites and mentors.
  • You should pick a research training site that does research that you are interested in, and that has mentors whose research aligns with yours.
  • Applicants must submit a letter of support from one U.S.-based mentor affiliated with the University of Arizona, the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, or Yale University. Applicants must also submit a letter of support from one LMIC mentor affiliated with a research training site in one of the 24 collaborating LMICs.
5. Complete the online application and submit the required materials by November 1, 2023.

Application Requirements

Complete the online application.

The online application system will save your partially completed application using your computer IP address and you can return to it later. Please try to avoid starting multiple applications.

The application includes the following sections:

  • Introduction
  • Section 1. Main Application
  • Section 2. Research Proposal and Supplemental Materials
  • Section 3. Applicant Demographics
The Introduction provides an overview of the program and the application process.

Section 1. Main Application asks questions about the following:

  • Basic demographic and fellowship information
  • Academic and professional background
  • Foreign language experience
  • Prior research experience
  • Previous experience in resource-limited settings
  • Publications, conferences/abstracts, awards
  • Statement of career goals
  • Names and email addresses of mentors
  • Mentoring plan
  • Training plan
  • Timeline
  • IRB and ethical approval plan

Section 2. Research Proposal and Additional Supplemental Materials
Submit a research proposal that includes the following sections:
  1. Title of project
  2. Abstract
  3. Proposal with these sub-sections:
    • Background
    • Specific aims
    • Research methods
    • Significance of study
  4. Reference list

Upload your research proposal to your online application as a PDF file, using these formatting guidelines:

  • 1500 words or 4 pages maximum (not including references).
  • Single-spaced with 1-inch margins.
  • 11-point font (Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman) with no changes to character density.
  • Graphs, tables, and figures may be included in your proposal but it cannot exceed 4 pages (not including references).
  • Use citations in your proposal and include a reference list. (Can use any citation style, just be sure that the in-text citations correspond with the reference list. Do not include more than 20 references. Can use additional page(s) if needed).
  • The document should be the standard U.S. letter size (8.5x11 inches)
  • Upload the following supplemental materials:

1. Letters of support (minimum of 2, maximum of 3)

  • One letter should be from your GHES primary U.S. mentor at one of the four participating universities (University of Arizona, University of California Berkeley, Stanford University, Yale University).
  • One letter should be from your GHES primary LMIC mentor at the collaborating LMIC research training site.
  • The letters should address the following items: mentor’s commitment to support applicant during fellowship, mentor’s role in research project, how mentor will provide technical and career advice plan for the fellowship, previous track record in mentoring students and/or postdoctoral fellows, ongoing collaboration with the site; 4) potential matching between a U.S. and an LMIC colleague (matched research collaborators).The third letter can come from a secondary mentor or someone who knows the applicant well and can address research accomplishments, research potential, and likelihood of a successful research career in global health

Each letter should be on the mentor's institutional letterhead and include the following information for the mentor: name, institution, email address, phone number, work address, signature.
Letters should be addressed to the Global Health Equity Scholars Fellowship Selection Committee, should be scanned, or saved as a PDF file and emailed to ghes2024@gmail.com.

2. NIH biosketch for applicant

  • Please upload your NIH biosketch using the FELLOWSHIP format. For instructions on how to format your biosketch, please refer to NIH guidelines of a FELLOWSHIP biosketch. We strongly suggest having a mentor review your biosketch if this is your first time generating one.

3. NIH biosketch for mentors


4. Transcript

  • Applicants who do not yet have their doctoral degree at the time of application must provide a copy of their most recent transcript (non-official transcripts are allowed).
  • Postdoctoral applicants already appointed in a research position or in a residency do not need to include a transcript.