Education & Training

We welcome trainees within the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, as well as departments across the University at Buffalo campuses, the larger SUNY system and external institutions. Also, for our apprenticeship in community-based research and population science program, we welcome high school graduates and those with an interest in research, health care or social justice.

Faculty members in our division are equipped to provide training and mentoring across a wide range of interests, including:

• social determinants of health, social risk and health related social needs with specific expertise in the food environment — and associations with chronic disease prevalence, outcomes and complications
• health system quality improvement, health care cost and cost benefit analyses
• structural inequalities and structural racism, with specific expertise in historic redlining and inequities at the census tract level, and association with chronic disease, mental health and health indices
• artificial intelligence (AI) and health outcomes, with specific expertise in predictive models and causal inference methodologies

To suit the needs of trainees at all stages of learning, we offer multiple levels of research mentorship:

Are you a mentee who is interested in learning community-based research skills? You have the option of participating with our research team in recruitment for ongoing clinical trials and minimal risk research with behavioral health interventions using a community-based research approach. Topics include food insecurity and older adults at risk for cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. 

Mentees engage in experiential learning by directly participating in the research process including front line data collection, data entry and engagement with the operational aspects of a protocol.

Are you a mentee who is interested in applying sophisticated methodology to population health? You have the option of participating with our biostatistical team in conducing analyses using national datasets to answer critical questions that guide clinical care and health policy.

Mentees engage in experiential learning by using their analytic skills to clean and organize health datasets, identify methodologies to answer a research question, and conducting analyses.

Are you a mentee who is interested in learning about the peer review process and publishing a manuscript? To help mentees develop their manuscripts, we’re proud to offer each mentee the opportunity to work alongside one faculty member, who will be assigned as a primary content mentor. Mentees receive guidance on:

• developing a research question
• searching the literature
• writing a data analysis plan
• working with co-authors to organize and construct a manuscript
• participating in the submission process for publication

In addition, we offer all mentees didactic training in topics related to health services research. Our mentees work with a multidisciplinary team and are mentored via a group approach. Each mentee has the opportunity to engage with all participating faculty through group mentorship, didactic sessions and brainstorming activities.

Explore faculty profiles and bibliographies of participating mentors:

Our division is building an internship program for both undergraduate and graduate students. Interns will participate in research activities throughout our division based on their prior training and skill development interest.

Undergraduate

• Undergraduate Interns will support the research team in community engaged research-related tasks, including recruitment, retention, data collection and data management. They will also be involved in preparing materials for research presentations and reports.

Graduate

• Health Educator Interns will provide health education for participants of our clinical trial studies under the direct supervision of our faculty and a professional health educator.
• Biostatistics Interns will conduct statistical analysis, data management, and research support under the direct supervision of our faculty and biostatistics team.
• Healthcare Operations Interns will support the research operations team and clinical operations teams in activities surrounding finance, communications, human resources and process improvement.

Positions will be structured based on student needs, undergraduate or graduate program requirements and division programs. We will also serve as a formal field site for UB programs where students are exposed to professional learning experiences in a real-life practice setting.

This program is currently in development; more information on how to apply is coming soon.

Our division is launching a paid, full-time, one-year apprenticeship for individuals interested in community-based research and health equity.

• foundational training in research ethics, population science, health disparities and chronic disease
• hands-on experience in participant recruitment, informed consent, data collection, and field work of a human research.
• professional development in communication, teamwork, office skills and health care career planning
• certificate of completion and potential for full-time employment within the division

High school graduates and/or someone with an interest in research, health care or social justice should apply. No prior experience is required.

Our non-degree program is designed to open doors to careers in health research and improve community health outcomes.

More information on how to apply is coming soon.