Research Training

Research Training   Role of the Preceptor   Training Opportunities       Post-Doctoral     Graduate     Medical Students     Undergraduates     Community   Training Activities     Specialized Training for   Clinical Research   How to Apply     Training Stipends     Fellowship Opportunities         Broad Opportunities     Diversity Fellowships   Foreign Trainees    Additional Information

Training of researchers is an integral component of our mission at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and the McKnight Vision Research Center. Our comprehensive research training program offers mentored training experiences. Training is provided in the interdisciplinary areas of biomedical sciences, biomedical engineering, and clinical research. Both short and long-term opportunities are available for trainees at all levels.

Training Opportunities

Post-Doctoral.  Scientists, clinicians, or clinician/scientists with doctoral degrees including the PhD, MD, or OD are invited to apply for post-doctoral research training positions. The training period is arranged with the preceptor. The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine operates a Postdoctoral Programs Office that provides the post-doctoral trainee with additional educational opportunities and a broader environment for collegial interaction.

Graduate. The University of Miami offers a number of opportunities for students seeking rigorous training in bioscience or biomedical engineering leading to the PhD, MD/PhD or MS degrees.  All graduate students in the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine are admitted through the Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS). If a student chooses the lab of a McKnight Vision Research Center investigator, additional focused training is provided by our program in eye and vision research. McKnight Vision Research Center investigators are affiliated with the following University of Miami graduate programs:

School of Medicine
PhD in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology  
PhD in Neuroscience 
PhD in Physiology & Biophysics 
PhD in Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology
PhD in Microbiology & Immunology 
PhD in Molecular Cell & Developmental Biology  
PhD in Human Genetics and Genomics

College of Engineering
MS or PhD in Biomedical Engineering (BME)

Medical Students.  Students from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, or other accredited US or foreign medical schools, are invited to apply for short or long-term research training experiences. To apply, download this form and fax/scan to BPEItraining@med.miami.edu

Undergraduates.  Undergraduate students from the University of Miami or other US universities are invited to apply for short-term research training experiences. To apply, download this form and fax/scan to BPEItraining@med.miami.edu

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Community Outreach provides additional information on research activities for students interested in volunteering at Bascom Palmer.

Specific opportunities are available for minorities and economically-disadvantaged students. Visit the Office of Undergraduate Research and Community Outreach Web page for additional information.

Training Activities

Organized research training activities at the McKnight Vision Research Center include group meetings, a weekly lunch-time laboratory conference featuring research-in-progress presentations and educational lectures. A distinguished scientist seminar series and special seminars, workshops, and retreats involve Bascom Palmer faculty members as well as many invited guests from around the country and the globe.

All research trainees are also encouraged to participate in Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s clinical training activities. This includes a daily morning lecture, weekly clinical subspecialty group meetings, the weekly clinical grand rounds and a visiting professor series. The yearly resident’s day activities include research project presentations by all clinical trainees, clinical research overviews by faculty, and an endowed lecture from a distinguished outside speaker.

The Continuing Medical Education (CME) department at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute sponsors a variety of post-graduate programs to meet the needs of ophthalmologists in the region and beyond. A number of these involve areas of interest to researchers.

How to Apply

Graduate Training. Candidates for graduate study must apply and be accepted into the University by the School or College of their choice.

School of Medicine PhD Programs  Biomedical Sciences
MD/PhD Program
PIBS Program

College of Engineering – Program in Bioengineering

Other Training.  For all other types of training, download this form and fax/scan to BPEItraining@med.miami.edu

Foreign Applicants

In keeping with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s commitment to global exchange, the McKnight Vision Research Center welcomes trainees from around the world. It should be understood that foreign trainees are typically expected to bring funding from the home country. We will provide as much assistance as possible with fellowship applications.

Foreign research trainees must allow at least 3 months (preferably longer) for the processing of visas. J1 visas are supported by the department of ophthalmology for training periods of three to six months (short term scholars) or for six months to three years (research fellows).

Training Stipends

Training stipends for graduate students are funded through the graduate programs. It is usually a requirement that medical students, undergraduate and high school trainees agree to serve as a volunteer although some fellowships are available, see below.

Fellowship Opportunities

We strongly encourage all trainees to seek fellowship opportunities. These serve the immediate purpose of providing the trainee with a stipend. Additionally and perhaps more importantly - because fellowships are reviewed by the preceptor’s national peers, award of a fellowship is an honor and a significant credential for the trainee’s resume. It should be noted that US applicants usually have an advantage over foreign applicants for highly competitive fellowships from US agencies.

PLEASE NOTE: Fellowship applications must be made together with your preceptor.

Broad Opportunities.  Following are externally-sponsored fellowship opportunities that have provided funding for our research trainees in the past:

Fight for Sight offers post-doctoral fellowships and summer fellowships for undergraduates, medical students and graduate students. All Fight for Sight-supported research must be conducted in the United States and Canada. There are no citizenship requirements for these awards.

Research to Prevent Blindness offers medical student fellowships to allow gifted students to take a year off from medical school studies and devote time to the pursuit of a research project within an RPB Grantee department. The fellowship -- which must take place prior to the third or fourth year of medical school -- will be funded for one year. A portion of the grant should be utilized to help finance the recipient's eye research activities.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute offers one year fellowships for medical students who wish to take a year off from their studies for research. Applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. medical or dental school and the fellowship research may be conducted at any academic or nonprofit institution in the United States, except the National Institutes of Health.

The National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health offers the F32 mechanism for post-doctoral research training. The F32 Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship provides a stipend and funds to help defray tuition, fees, health insurance, and research expenses. Support is generally for two or three years and is done under the guidance of a mentor or committee of mentors described in the application.

Diversity Fellowships.  Prospective research trainees who are members of a minority group or from economically disadvantaged backgrounds are eligible for fellowship support or funded through the following programs:

Howard Hughes Medical Institute has awarded a grant to support a new science education program directed towards minority and economically-disadvantaged members of the Miami-Dade community. A partnership between the University of Miami and Miami-Dade College, the $1.9 million grant is intended to ensure the preparation of future leaders in the growing field of the biomedical sciences. At UM, the grant broadens the undergraduate student experience with new classes and programs, future faculty development, and outreach programs to educate students from high school through post-doctorate.

The National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health offers several mechanisms for research training directed towards minorities those with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds including F31 and F32 applications and Diversity Supplements..

Additional Information

For further information, please contact the individual below overseeing the opportunity level that best fits your qualifications:

Medical students
Richard K. Lee, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Email: rlee@med.miami.edu

Post-doctoral applicants
Vittorio Porciatti, PhD
Research Professor of Ophthalmology and Director and Vice Chairman of Research
Email: vporciatti@med.miami.edu

Undergraduate and high school trainees
Abigail S. Hackam, PhD
Associate Professor
Email: ahackam@med.miami.edu

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