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The training program in Women's Health Research will serve six (6) predoctoral trainees each year. All will be students who have been admitted to the UWSON's PhD in Nursing Science Program.
The Ph.D. in Nursing Science Program was approved by state and university authorities in spring of 1978. The primary objective of the Ph.D. program is to train graduate trainees at the doctoral level in research oriented programs as they prepare for research careers directed toward the acquisition of new knowledge. A minimum of 99 quarter credits are needed for completion, however, only one third of these credits are core courses that are required. This allows significant individualization of the trainee's program under the advisement of core/supporting faculty. Predoctoral trainees will appoint one of the WHNRTG core or supporting faculty to their supervisory committees. The student's supervisory committee has final responsibility for approving the course of study for each student.
Criteria for Selection of Candidates
In order to be eligible to apply for the WHNRTG Program, candidates must have been offered admission to the Ph.D. in Nursing Science Program at the University of Washington.
Criteria for selection of candidates for the WHNRTG will include the following:
- Match between the candidate's goals and proposed research and an available faculty mentor's goals and ongoing research program;
- Match between the candidate's research interests, the priorities outlined by the ORWH and NINF, and the WHNRTG aims
- Availability of appropriate coursework to support the candidate's learning;
- Commitment of the candidate to a minimum of two years of research development in women's health
- Likelihood of successful completion of the doctoral program
- Commitment to a research career in an academic or other research intensive setting.
Application Process and Selection of Candidates
Applicants to the PhD in Nursing Science Program at the UW must have completed a baccalaureate degree and submit the following materials: Vitae, Personal Goals Statement, GRE scores, 3 letters of reference addressing potential for a research career, Sample of Scholarly Writing. In addition, each applicant to the WHNRTG program will be expected to submit a letter outlining their research goals and match with the training program. Trainees who have completed part of the doctoral program will be expected to submit an update of their curriculum vita and any publications since beginning the program.
The Program Director will receive applications from newly admitted and continuing doctoral students in April of each year. Applications from qualified applicants will be reviewed by the Core Faculty. The number of available predoctoral positions will be determined each year based on the number of positions funded and prior commitments to current trainees. The Core Faculty will review scholars' applications for funding based on their goals and their proposals. Factors such as the diversity of the candidates will be considered in the final selection process to optimize scholar's opportunities to work across differences in academic discipline, as well in other aspects of their work. The Core Faculty will rank the candidates using the criteria listed above and advise the Program Director on their appointment. Mentors will also be identified at this time.
Progression and Evaluation The predoctoral trainees will participate in a training program of up to 2 years of support, and will be expected to develop an individual NRSA or other means of support if necessary for the completion of their doctoral work and dissertation. The current mean duration of enrollment in the University of Washington Ph.D. program is 5 years. The University's Graduate School appoints a supervisory committee for each doctoral student. The supervisory committee for W1 1NRTG trainees is expected to include one or more core and supporting faculty of the training program, as well as a representative from the University's Graduate Faculty who is outside the School. This committee has major responsibility for guiding the student's program of study and research progress and thus will be formed early for trainees in this program to ensure their steady progress. The supervisory committees of prior WHNRTG trainees usually include interdisciplinary members from such fields as psychology, sociology, women studies, physiology, and public health.
Core faculty will be assigned as mentors to new predoctoral trainees, and will develop with the trainee an individualized program of study and training, congruent with the requirements of the PhD program and suggestions of other supervisory committee members. In most cases, the mentor will become the chair of the predoctoral student's supervisory committee. The mentors will assist predoctoral trainees in selecting members of their dissertation committee that will provide support and guidance within the specific focus of scholarship. Trainees will also have opportunities to develop relationships with other faculty throughtheir participation in the specific training opportunities described earlier in the proposal. Faculty mentors will review progress with each predoctoral trainee quarterly and discuss any problem areas with the Program Director as needed. Twice each year (January, June) the Program Director will ask for a report from each trainee regarding progress and problems encountered in the training, and ask each mentor to complete a trainee evaluation (Appendix IV). The co directors and core faculty will review these progress reports annually. Trainees will be expected to remain in good academic standing with the Graduate School and making progress toward dissertation to remain on funding from the program.
