Cancer Prevention & Control Research Training Program- Revised June 2014

Transcription

1 Cancer Prevention & Control Research Training Program- Revised June 2014 I. Program Description The Cancer Prevention & Control Research Training Program (CPCRT) is a 5-year training program funded by Fogarty International at the United States National Institutes of Health. The program ( ) is a partnership between the University of Fez in Morocco, the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida and CoEmpower in Bethesda, Maryland and offers both training and limited research funding. The program is focused on training mid-career professional in Morocco and seeks to support existing public health research infrastructures in cancer prevention & control, by providing didactic training and mentoredopportunities. The program will make available several types of training: 1) In-country intensive short courses in select areas such as grant writing, ethics and research program management; 2) Online epidemiology/public health certificate from Johns Hopkins with a course on cancer epidemiology through IARC; 3) an MPH in epidemiology from USF (limited opportunities, please contact Dr. Azzam to see if you are eligible); 4) Research funding for pilot studies and 5) Technical transfer opportunities through existing partnerships with IARC and other partners. Research funding of about $10,000 fund will be made available on a competitive basis for the candidates with the most promising research portfolio. This funding will serve to develop pilot research projects enabling candidates to seek other local or international funding based on the pilot data obtained. Selected candidates will need to demonstrate the importance of their proposed research and training to public health or the country s National Cancer Prevention & Control Plan. Further Details of the training opportunities can be found at the website. II. Candidate Selection Criteria Research Cancer Prevention & Control Training Program: Certificate & MSPH A. Overview of Program Aims and Candidate Selection Philosophy The program seeks highly qualified mid-career professionals that want to pursue cancer prevention and control and are passionate about making a difference in Morocco s health portfolio. These individuals must be committed to research and evidenced-based approaches and will require to highlight their research or planned research. Only Moroccan applicants will be considered for this program. All successful applicants will be required to take epidemiology and biostatistics first irrespective of their interest in the MPH program. Applications are encouraged from all sectors of society irrespective of race and gender provided they meet the requirements outlined for the program. B. Who is Eligible? To be eligible candidates must possess an MD or PhD from the Schools of Medicine & Pharmacy, Schools of Science or Schools of Science & Technology and A minimum of 4 years of professional experience, Be active in research and Meet the requirement of Johns Hopkins for the certificate, and USF for the MPH- Have English Proficiency. Preference will be given to those who are active in cancer research or have experience in cancer 1

2 research C. Selection Criteria & Application Process Overview All applicants must first submit their application to the CPCRT program and if accepted can proceed to apply to the training programs at Hopkins or USF. Applications are open, but the sooner you apply the greater your chances of being accepted as time to complete the program and funding are limited (only 2 years left in the program). D. Total Available Training Slots ( ) Up to 5-6 online certificates of which 2-3 MPH will be covered by the CPCRT program, depending on available funding. Tuition and book costs will be covered not to exceed $1000 for the certificate and $3000 for the MPH. Epidemiology Certificates are Online and must be completed within 2 years preferably within 4-6 semesters. Applicants who are planning to apply for the Hopkins certificate must also plan to apply to the IARC cancer course program, which is offered once every year in Lyon (2-3 weeks) MPH estimated time: 2 years online. Thesis research will be carried out in Morocco, no exceptions. Trainees will also have to attend ethics, grant writing and scientific writing workshops in Morocco and submit research proposals. The most successful candidates will have the opportunity to attend an international conference to present their research findings. E. Applications to the CPCRT program: 1. A detailed CV (see form) 2. A letter of interest stating your objectives for seeking this training (not to exceed 250 word, see form) 3. A 3-page candidate statement indicating the following elements Description of your education background and training Personal statement as to why you are interested in public health and cancer research Previous research experience in cancer or non-communicable diseases Your current research Interest and its public health importance to Morocco Reason why you wish to take this training and what skills you expect to get from it How will you utilize this training to advance your research portfolio 4. A one-page research concept paper that further clarifies your research interest and aims, giving some background on the public health problem in Morocco and the methodology you would like to use to perform your research. Identify your existing or potential research partners and/or funding source letters (or more) of recommendations of professional or academic nature, one of which is from your current direct supervisor (see form). 6. A Commitment Level Letter from your immediate supervisor indicating that s(he) will give you the necessary time to perform your studies. We recommend at a minimum 2 days a week, or 4 hours/credit (see form). 7. An Institutional Letter of support indicating institutional support for your training and approval of protected time to perform your studies, clearly stating that they will cover the candidate salaries for the year they are in the program and lessening their workload during the online training period (see form). 8. One transcript from all institutions of higher learning where the applicant has earned a degree is required. You can send an unofficial transcript to The CPCRT but Hopkins or USF will require an official transcript (see IIIA). 2

3 9. A photocopy of your PhD or MD diploma is also required 10. Toefl Score (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Please note that this toefl test is for the CPCRT program only and will be used to evaluate your capacity to apply for the certificate program. Its available online for $40 and is frequently administered. It will not be necessarily recognized by a university abroad but it will allow us to evaluate your English proficiency as well as give you practice in the multiple choice type exams you will encounter in the USA. For those wishing to apply to an MPH program at USF and who do not have their toefl exam, they need to take the TOEFL IBT (Internet Based TOEFL) which is more expensive. Please do not enroll in the IBT TOEFL exam unless we have encouraged you to apply for the MPH program. 11. For the MPH only by invitation only: Applicants whose native language is not English or who have not earned a degree in the United States must also submit TOEFL scores earned within two (2) years of the desired term of entry. A minimum total score of 79 on the internet-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 550 on the paper-based test are required. Applications submitted with TOEFL scores that do not meet the minimum requirements will be denied. The TOEFL requirement may be waived if the applicant meets one of the following conditions: Has scored 500 or higher on the GRE Verbal Test Has earned a college degree at a U.S. institution of higher learning Has earned a college degree from an institution whose language of instruction is English (must be noted on the transcript). Or Has scored 6.5 on international English language Testing System (IELTS) - see A draft timeline plan indicating how the student plans to complete their certificate program. Note you have to start with epidemiology and/or biostatistics for the certificate program if you have never taken these courses before or are planning to apply to the MSPH (see sample form). F. Application Process Overview The candidate selection process will have 2 screening stages at the level of the CPCRT program: 1) In the first stage candidates will submit the following to the CPCRT program: candidate statements, recommendations (minimum 3 reference letters), unofficial transcripts indicating GPA score, and Toefl score, CVs and a draft timeline of how the students will accomplish their training program. Applications will be reviewed by the Training Advisory Group, a committee composed of Moroccan and US members. Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria will be invited for an interview. 2) The interview will be conducted by the committee and successful candidates will be invited to apply to USF for the certificate program provided they meet the US university requirements. Being accepted in the CPCRT program does not guarantee acceptance into Hopkins or the USF program. G. How to Apply You will need to your application to the CPCRT program to Dr. Hala Azzam at Coempower@gmail.com Incomplete forms will be rejected! III. Hopkins and IARC Application Process & Requirements Candidates who are accepted into the CPCRT Program will be asked to apply to Hopkins and IARC separately. We require students to complete the certificate on the shortest period possible (not to exceed a year and a half) 3

4 Hopkins does not require a toelf score. They require one recommendation (you can put two) see website for full details ( but basically: Hopkins Admissions Process: Students must apply to the program using the School's online application. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year. There is no deadline for application. The Certificate application includes official transcripts from all post-secondary schools, a CV or resume, a statement of purpose vis-à-vis the certificate, and one letter of recommendation. Transcripts from non-us institutions must be approved by an external credentialing agency. The CPCRT program requires students to take the following courses at Hopkins Statistical Reasoning in Public Health I and II Fundamentals of Epidemiology I and II, or Principles of Epidemiology Environmental Health Program Planning for Health Behavior Change Fundamentals of Budgeting and Financial Management Candidates must do well in their courses (Grade B or better) And the Cancer epidemiology course at IARC (application due typically sometime around November and course in June in Lyon) Information about the IARC Application Process IARC pays for the student travel and accommodation if accepted into the program A. USF Requirements for the Certificate Program (no longer offered due to time constraints) ( All International who are accepted to the program must apply to the Graduate certificate program at USF. Below are some of the USF requirements for the MPH. It is the candidate responsibility to ensure that they send all the necessary forms to USF. Students must provide a certified copy of their transcripts showing equivalency (see below) and have the following: minimum GPA (Grade Point Average) 2. Quantitative skills as demonstrated by previous courses in algebra, etc. 3. English proficiency: Toefl Score: A minimum score of 550 on the paper-based test or 79 on the webbased test is required. Some candidates may be eligible for Toefl waivers as indicated above (II H10). 4. One official transcript from all institutions of higher learning where the applicant has earned a degree is required, but applicants may provide unofficial copies of transcripts to expedite the processing of their applications. A GPA of 3.0 (equivalent to 80 over a 100 scale) is required for acceptance into the program. Any admissions granted to the program or USF using unofficial transcripts will not be finalized until official transcripts are received in a sealed envelope from the Office of the Registrar where applicants attended. All transcripts to USF must be in English; it is the applicant s responsibility to have transcripts translated and evaluated* before submitting them as part of their graduate application packet. Final transcripts showing the award of a bachelor s degree and advanced degrees will be required if an applicant is admitted and enrolls. 4

5 *All foreign transcripts require a course-by-course evaluation from a foreign transcript evaluation service, see link for list of available services Transcript-Evaluation.asp B. USF Requirements for the MPH Program (by invitation only from CPCRT) International students must provide a certified copy of their transcripts showing equivalency. In addition, applicants must have: minimum GPA 2. Quantitative skills as demonstrated by previous courses in algebra, etc. 3. English proficiency: Toefl Score 4. Excellent performance in the Certificate program (B or higher) 5. Completed USF Graduate School application: IV. Additional Information on the Certificate Application Process A. Level of Financial Support The program will cover the cost of the certificate program, and software & books up of to $1000 amount and expenses must be pre-approved. Toeffl exam costs will be covered by people s participating institutions and reimbursed by the program only if the candidate is accepted into the program. The training may under special circumstances cover the cost of Advanced English courses. B. Institutional Matching All institutions are expected to support their candidates during their training by decreasing their workload and allowing them sufficient time to complete their studies and requirements. A letter of commitment is required from the candidate s institution. C. Students must submit a timelime indicated what courses they will take for the certificate and when Certificate Timeline Examples Online Courses Availability Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 Epidemiology I Epidemiology II OR Principles of Epidemiology Statistical reasoning 1 Statistical reasoning 2 Environmental Health Program Planning for Health Behavior Change Fundamentals of Budgeting and Financial Management V. Additional MPH Information on the Application Process 5

6 All MPH candidates must have successfully completed epidemiology and biostatistics at USF. Candidates will be able to transfer their course work from the certificate provided they obtained a B or higher grade. Official university guidelines indicate that up to 12 credits may be transferred. A. Level of Financial Support The program will cover the cost of the MPH program and reimburse successful candidates software and books- up to $3000 amount. Trainees will be required to purchase their own computers. B. Institutional Matching All institutions are expected to support their candidates during their training by decreasing their workload and allowing them sufficient time to complete their studies and requirements. A letter of commitment is required from the candidate s institution. C. Overall Description Please see overall description of the USF epidemiology MPH program at D. Candidate Application Process Overview The online MPH candidate selection process will have 4 screening stages 1. In the first stage candidates will apply to the certificate program (see certificate program description and application) and indicate their interest in the MPH program. 2. Upon successful completion of their epidemiology and biostatics course in the certificate program *B or higher), candidates interested in the MPH will be invited to indicate their interest in the MPH program to CPCRT program and present a planned study timeline and apply to USF. 3. Only candidates who have successfully completed epidemiology and biostatistics or the certificate program will be accepted into the MPH program ( The USF program will work with the candidates to finalize their application to USF. The candidate will officially apply to the USF MPH program by applying to both SOPHA and the USF Graduate program The candidate will have to follow the international student application process and timeline Being accepted in the Certificate program at USF does not guarantee acceptance into the MPH program. USF will review the candidate s application through their own internal review process. E. MPH Application Requirements Information about the epidemiology online MPH application programs can be found at: and the application 6