Clinical Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal Education and Training (COMET) Program
Principal Investigator and Program Directors: Jeffrey N. Katz, MD, MSc, and Elena Losina, PhD
We are pleased to announce a call for applications for the Clinical Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal Education and Training (COMET) Program (NIH-funded T32) housed at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health.
Applications for pre- and post-doctoral training are invited for the academic year beginning July/August 2022.
The program is intended to train highly qualified pre- and post-doctoral trainees in rigorous clinical research methodology to address pressing problems relating to orthopedic and musculoskeletal disorders. The range of methodologies suitable for support is wide, including epidemiology, biostatistics, economics, pharmaco-epidemiology, biomechanics, policy modeling, and behavioral research among others. The range of substantive topics is similarly wide, encompassing orthopedic surgical interventions and disorders affecting the musculoskeletal system including, but not limited to, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, spinal disorders, regional musculoskeletal disorders, tendon, ligament and other soft tissue conditions, and musculoskeletal pain. The research must be carried out on humans. Laboratory research carried out on animals or on human tissues is not appropriate for this award. Research focused on inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, vasculitis and the like are appropriate for this award if the research specifically involves orthopedic interventions or musculoskeletal manifestations such as osteoporosis and fracture.
Per NIH guidelines, applicants must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment. Underrepresented minority groups including, but not limited to, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives and Pacific Islanders are strongly encouraged to apply.
Trainees accepted for the program will be funded, in general, for two years, conditional on a progress report at the end of the first year. The training grant covers salary or stipend, travel to professional meetings, and other training-related expenses. The postdoctoral award will cover 60% of tuition for the Program in Clinical Effectiveness at Harvard School of Public Health. The predoctoral award includes a stipend for 60% of tuition for PhD candidates. Applicants must be nominated by a mentor who is an independently funded investigator. One or more COMET program core faculty members must be involved in the trainee’s work.