University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Logo University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Research and Innovation: Addiction Research Training Program

Training Positions

Overview

Our program provides tailored training tracks for the following groups:

  1. Postdoctoral Trainees
    Designed for individuals holding a doctoral degree or who will have obtained a doctoral degree by the time of their appointment to the grant (Ph.D., M.D., D.O., D.D.S., etc.). We accept both trainees who are seeking to deepen their expertise in addiction research and trainees who are beginning addiction-focused research for the first time.
  2. Predoctoral Trainees
    Designed for graduate students enrolled in a doctoral program, offering opportunities to engage in full-time addiction research training. We currently emphasize appointments for predoctoral students at UAMS, but do also consider applications from doctoral students at other doctoral degree-granting institutions in Arkansas (e.g., UCA, UALR, UAF) on a case-by-case basis.
  3. Psychiatry Residents (PGY-3 & PGY-4)
    Provides UAMS psychiatry residents who are seeking an academic path with the chance to integrate addiction research into their clinical training, enhancing opportunities to gain applied project experience and experience with research outputs.
  4. Medical Students (Incoming M2s)
    Offers incoming second-year medical students the opportunity to participate in an intensive 10-week summer addiction research experience in a program mentor’s lab. The summer experience typically culminates in a presentation and/or publication stemming from the summer work.

Program Highlights

Interdisciplinary Training

Collaborate with experts from diverse disciplines — such as psychiatry, pharmacology, biomedical informatics, and public health — with a shared focus on advancing addiction research.

Research Areas

Gain exposure to addiction research spanning molecular target development, pre-clinical studies, patient-oriented clinical research, and implementation sciences.

Ethics and Professional Development

Participate in seminars centered on the ethical conduct of addiction research and professional development. Topics include writing for publication in addiction science, managing research teams, and securing funding for addiction-focused studies.

Mentorship

Receive guidance from experienced mentors who are leaders in addiction research and dedicated to fostering your research career.