The objective of the National Institute of Mental Health-funded Boston University Medical Campus-Massachusetts General Hospital (BUMC-MGH) T32 Global Psychiatry Clinical Research Training Program is to develop independent clinical scientists who can address the most pressing global mental health challenges. Postdoctoral fellows will be prepared to work collaboratively across disciplines and cultures in order to respond to the substantial burden of mental health related diseases in low- to middle-income countries and resource-limited areas, and to develop strategies that advance global delivery and scale-up of mental health services, improve general wellbeing, and foster overall country development.

The postdoctoral fellowship is a three-year training program that combines rigorous didactic instruction, clinical research methods training from Boston University and Harvard University, practice in working effectively with disadvantaged communities, and immersive, mentored clinical research experiences in global settings. Each postdoctoral fellow is selected from a deep pool of clinical and research talent. They are mentored by a diverse group of faculty who are recognized leaders in major psychiatric subspecialties as well as clinical research approaches.

Fellows complete a mentored research project at an international training site in Barbados, Ethiopia, Peru, South Africa, Uganda or Ukraine in topics such as addictions, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, PTSD/trauma/complex emergency, HIV mental health, women’s health, and childhood disorders. In addition to these topics, there is a research methods core made accessible to fellows consisting of faculty with extensive experience in clinical trials, qualitative/quantitative research, and implementation science.

Fellows utilize a variety of research skills and techniques to understand the scope of a problem, and develop innovative interventions that are feasible, and culturally and clinically relevant to the specific environments and populations. At the end of the third year of the program, fellows are expected to be well situated to submit a K-award application. With heavily circumscribed clinical responsibilities, trainees will focus on the refinement of their research projects, developing international collaborations, and strengthening their clinical research skills.

International Research Training Sites

Each international training site can accommodate up to two fellows and offers space to fellows while overseas as well as administrative support while at the training sites. Fellows have the option of choosing from the following eight training sites spanning across six countries.