Applicant FAQs
How to Apply/Application Questions
Letters of Support/Letters of Recommendation
Immunizations
Appointment Information
Questions About Mentors
Expenses/Stipend/Tuition
How to Apply/Application Questions
How do I apply for a fellowship?
Select a fellowship located on the How to Apply page.
When are the deadlines?
The deadlines are listed on the web page of each respective fellowship and within the body of the application instructions.
Do you offer short term fellowships all year round?
Generally speaking, yes. Effective December 14, 2011, however, the R25E short-term research experiences program is now closed to new applications. Watch this website for future Calls for Applications for the short-term program.
Our summer program begins in June of 2012 and the deadline has passed. Our summer program will include both undergraduate and graduate students. Read more about our Summer 2012 Short Term Research Experience.
Are part-time students allowed to apply for the Pre-doctoral fellowships?
The intent of the R25T fellowship is to support the trainee full time to work on their dissertation and course work to get them to the finish faster and more efficiently. So, no, a part-time student would not be eligible, as it would not be in the spirit of the award.
Do Applicants who are currently employed at MDACC need to submit their GRE scores and transcripts with the application?
Yes.
Copies are allowed through the application phase. Once the trainee is appointed, we will need an official transcript.
Why do I need to submit my application to apply@cancerpreventiontraining.org and not an individual?
The apply@cancerpreventiontraining.org is our program's main e-mail address and serves as a central location. Your application and letters of support are less likely to be lost when sent to this e-mail address.
Letters of Support/Letters of Recommendation Questions
What is the difference between a Letter of Support and a Letter of Recommendation?
A Letter of Support is provided by the prospective mentor(s) affirming that they are committed to supporting your proposed training.
A Letter of Recommendation is a letter from external recommenders (not including those provided by your mentors) and are preferably from a professor who has taught or supervised the applicant for at least one year. We require three letters from these external recommenders.
How are Letters of Recommendation and Letters of Support to be addressed and submitted?
1. All letters should be addressed to Dr. Shine Chang, Director, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cancer Prevention Research Training Program.
2. All letters should be signed and on letterhead. Electronic signatures are acceptable.
3. Recommendation Letters are NOT to be included with the stitched application submitted by the applicant.
4. Recommendation Letters are to be sent directly by the recommender (not the applicant) to apply@cancerpreventiontraining.org.
5. Letters submitted without these features may result in your application being considered incomplete.
Why can't I submit the Letter of Recommendation directly to the addressee (Dr. Shine Chang)?
Letters of Recommendation are to be sent to our central e-mail address (apply@cancerpreventiontraining.org) to prevent the document from getting lost or misfiled. If your Letter of Recommendation is sent directly to Dr. Chang and she is out of the office, we will be unable to confirm receipt in a timely manner and that could result in the denial of your application.
Please clarify what is expected of the potential reviewers we submit and what our affiliation with these reviewers should be as well as when this list is to be submitted.
The program directors need suggestions for potential expert reviewers of your research and educational proposal who are not associated with you academically or personally, so that they have no conflict of interest and can review your application without bias. Thus reviewers should not be those providing letters of recommendation or former mentors, etc. In addition, NIH employees are not allowed as reviewers.
Immunizations
Why do I have to get an immunization?
It is mandatory that ALL trainees submit the MD Anderson Required Immunization Form signed by a physician or licensed health care provider. All blanks must be completed. ''See attached" is not a valid entry. Employee Health no longer accepts immunization records without the fully completed MD Anderson Required Immunization Form. Discover applications will be returned if this requirement is not met. Employee Health will review immunization records within seven days of an appointment start date.
I had a TB test performed last summer, in July, do I have to get it updated?
Yes, your TB test must be current within one year of your appointment start date.
My immunizations are already listed on the transcript, do I still need to complete the immunization form?
Yes; this is Trainee and Alumni Affairs (TAA) policy.
Is it necessary to get the Hepatitis B vaccine series?
If you will be handling blood and human fluids, then yes, you will need to have to take the series.
Appointment Information
What is the minimum and maximum amount of time that a postdoctoral trainee can be appointed?
The minimum is six months. The maximum is two years and is renewed annually pending research progress and availability of funds.
I'm a Full Time UT MD Anderson Cancer Center employee and also a part-time doctoral student at UT School of Public Health. Am I still eligible to apply for the pre-doctoral fellowship or would I have to reduce my time at MDACC to PT status?
Unfortunately, if you apply to our pre-doctoral fellowship and get awarded, you will have to leave your employment status. Per UT MD Anderson Cancer Center policy, you cannot have both trainee position and full or part-time employment.
We have a trainee that was an Adjunct Faculty at another institution and wants to return to MDA as a postdoctoral fellow while waiting for his NCI K07 award. Can this trainee revert from Adjunct Faculty to postdoctoral fellow?
Yes. As long as the department supports it.
Questions about Mentors
Can I add mentors after submitting the pre-application?
Yes.
Do the mentors have to be from different departments or just different disciplines?
Mentors can be from the same department. The idea is that they offer you different perspectives, expertise, opportunities. We want you to benefit by the input and advice of multiple people.
Are Instructors eligible to serve as primary mentors?
Yes; however, an assistant professor or above will have to serve as a secondary mentor.
Can we use the same letters of recommendation from a previous review?
Only if they're updated and the referee has given permission to use the (updated) letter for a new submission.
Can we submit new letters of recommendation during the second phase of the application reviews?
It is not required; however, you are welcome to submit fresh letters, especially if there were recommendations made during the first phase of the review and you feel it will help your submission.
If mentors send their letter of support via e-mail, does it still need to be on official letterhead and signed?
Yes it must be on official letterhead and signed with an electronic signature.
Expenses / Stipend / Tuition, Etc.
What is a STIPEND?
The word "Stipend" is the same as "Salary" or "Pay", within MD Anderson. These terms are synonymous and are commonly used interchangeably. According to M. D. Anderson's Payroll Department, whether you are an Employee or Student who gets paid a "Stipend", taxes will be withheld.
How much are fellows paid and is their status part-time or full time?
Stipends are stated in annual amounts, full time. The amount of the stipend varies. Students are paid up to 20 hours during the Fall and Spring and can be full time during the Summer.
Are taxes withheld from my paycheck?
Yes, however, the amount taxed depends on the allowances you designate on your W-4 form. At New Employee Orientation, you will be asked to complete a W-4. For assistance with tax withholding calculations, visit the online IRS Withholding Calculator.
For additional Frequently Asked Questions, visit our Trainee FAQ page.
Can't Find Your Answer Here?
Email your detailed question to:
apply@cancerpreventiontraining.org.
You will receive a response within 1-2 business days.