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Mentored Research Program for Early Career Bioethics Scholars From Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Open Call for Applications

Early career bioethics scholars (PhD students, Postdocs, and Lecturers/Assistant Professors) from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are invited to apply for a mentored research program at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Program Description

The Department of Bioethics, located within the NIH Clinical Center (CC), offers a mentored bioethics research program for early career bioethics scholars from LMICs. The goal is to support the development of advanced bioethics expertise in LMICs.

Selected scholars will visit the NIH CC Department of Bioethics for a limited period of time and work on a bioethics research project in close collaboration with one or more faculty members in the Department. Collaboration on the research project will continue after the visit, as needed. Empirical, conceptual, and normative bioethics research projects are welcome. The program requires that the fellow's institution provide salary and other support for the fellow's research for the duration of the mentorship period. The Department of Bioethics will only support direct expenses associated with the short visit to the Department.

During the visit at the NIH Department of Bioethics, scholars will be given a workspace and take part in the daily life of the Department (e.g., work-in-progress seminars, ethics research lab meetings, invited lectures).

Program Requirements

  1. Completion of the application packet. This is an open call, i.e., applications can be submitted at any point while the program is active.
  2. A cover letter describing your interest in the NIH mentored bioethics research program, your plans for pursuing a career in bioethics in your country of residence or another LMIC, and how participation in the NIH mentored bioethics research program might help you realize these plans.
  3. A bioethics research project that is within the area of interest of one or more faculty members in the Department of Bioethics and will lead to a peer-reviewed publication. The template to describe your project is available online.
  4. Enrollment in a relevant PhD program, a PhD in a relevant discipline, or a relevant professional degree (such as an MD or JD).
  5. Primary academic appointment or institution of study in an LMIC, as defined by World Bank criteria.
  6. Endorsement of the application from a supervisor or mentor at the applicant's home institution, including a statement describing how the applicant is currently involved in bioethics research; how they will be involved in bioethics research after the NIH mentored bioethics research program; and how participation in the NIH mentored bioethics research program will enhance their involvement in these bioethics research activities.
  7. Eligibility for the relevant U.S. visa.
  8. Proficiency in English.

There is no charge for the program.

The Department sponsors the visa and offers a stipend to cover round-trip economy class travel expenses from the scholar's home city to Bethesda, MD, as well as living expenses for the duration of the visit in the NIH CC Department of Bioethics. Up to $12,000 is for travel and accommodation. In addition, scholars have the option to apply for an additional $3,000 to cover relevant travel in the U.S. during their visit. The Department of Bioethics does not have accommodations to offer; visitors typically find short-term rentals in the area near NIH.

Application Packet

To apply, please submit the following:

  1. A cover letter describing your interest in the NIH mentored bioethics research program, including a description of your current position and your current bioethics research; your plans for pursuing a career in bioethics in your country of residence or another LMIC; how participation in the NIH mentored bioethics research program might help you advance your current bioethics research and realize your bioethics career plans; and the preferred time period for your visit at NIH (max. 2 pages).
  2. A research proposal describing the bioethics research project you would like to undertake as part of the NIH mentored bioethics research program; please use the template available online (max. 3 pages).
  3. Endorsement letter from a supervisor or mentor at your home institution. The endorsement should include a statement describing your current involvement in bioethics research; how you will be involved in bioethics research activities after the NIH mentored bioethics research program; and how participation in the NIH mentored bioethics research program will enhance your involvement in these bioethics research activities. The endorsement letter should be written on official letterhead and provide a clear indication of the letter writer's position.
  4. Curriculum vitae.
  5. Copy of your degree (e.g., PhD, MD, JD) or evidence of enrollment in a relevant PhD program.
  6. If your native language is not English, evidence of English proficiency, such as your TOEFL score, IELTS score, or previous education at English-speaking institutions.

Preferred File Format: We prefer receiving documents as PDF (.pdf) formatted documents.

Guidance on How to Apply

If you are interested in applying to this program, please ensure you are eligible and review the information on how to write a bioethics research proposal for our bioethics research training programs.

Please contact the program lead with any questions or submit your application to: Professor Reidar K. Lie, Department of Bioethics, NIH Clinical Center & Department of Philosophy, University of Bergen: reidar.lie@uib.no.

Applicants will be notified by e-mail within four weeks of receipt of their complete application.