Fellowship Program Director: Nancy Diazgranados, MD
Overview
Clinical and research training are integrated during the two-year Clinical Associated Program. Eligible candidates must have completed an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited residency in psychiatry or internal medicine and be eligible for United States (US) medical licensure. Major highlights of what the fellow will take away from the program. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is the preeminent federal agency for research focused on improving the treatment and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. The institute’s intramural research program offers an array of postdoctoral opportunities in several exciting areas at the cutting edge of science. Senior investigators in the program are internationally known in basic and clinical sciences including various modalities of brain imaging, molecular and clinical genetics and behavioral pharmacology. These methodologies are used to decipher the genetics of vulnerability toward alcoholism; brain mechanisms involved in craving for alcohol; and the effects of alcohol on ion channels, receptors, second messengers, cell membrane functions and metabolism. Studies that integrate techniques spanning from the molecular level to clinical trials take advantage of the unique situation at the NIH campus, which provides the proximity of well-equipped research laboratories and research wards and clinics.
Program Structure
Fellows assume responsibility for the evaluation and clinical care of inpatient research subjects. The trainee is encouraged to develop areas of research that may be translated into clinical protocols. Research design, methodology, statistical analysis and data presentation skills are developed through interaction with mentors, didactic sessions, and practical experiences. For trainees with primarily laboratory interests, basic research training opportunities are available in the individual laboratories.
Application Information
NIH Graduate Medical Education Application
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but must be submitted at least six months in advance of the intended start date. Candidates with accumulated debt may also qualify for loan repayment in addition to a competitive salary.