VCU Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Home > Fellowships > Advanced Rehabilitation Research > Application

Application process

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or hold legal admission as permanent residents, possess a clinical doctorate, M.D. or Ph.D./Psy.D. degree or its equivalent, and must not have served previously as principal investigator on National Institutes of Health research project or training award.

Phase I: Initial application

Applicants must send a letter of interest, including career goals, a three-page (maximum) description of specific research interests, and a curriculum vitae to Jeffrey S. Kreutzer, Ph.D., Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980542, Richmond, VA 23298-0542. Also include the name, address and telephone number of three individuals who may be contacted for reference, as well as a photocopy of requisite degree from an approved academic institution.

Phase II: Initial screening

Screening of applications will be completed on a rolling basis, and no less than monthly. Applicants showing the strongest evidence of personal achievement, scholarship, intellectual ability, professional integrity and potential for development as rehabilitation researchers will be invited to interview with members of the selection committee. Members of the selection committee will independently and anonymously evaluate each candidate’s potential for becoming an independent researcher. All candidates will be notified of the committee’s decisions.

Phase III: Mentor selection

Candidates appropriate for the program will be invited to contact an approved VCU research mentor and together develop a research training plan relevant to rehabilitation research. Mentors must be selected from the program faculty list provided. Assistance will be provided for those candidates who have not already selected a mentor. Interdisciplinary research training is especially encouraged. The mentor will then provide the selection committee with a letter indicating willingness to accept the candidate as a research trainee, description of the proposed research training plan, and assurance that necessary resources will be available to assist the candidate in execution of the plan.

Phase IV: Academic affiliation

After discussion with their proposed mentor, candidates will be asked to provide the selection committee with a list of department(s) appropriate for their VCU academic affiliation. The selection committee will present the candidate’s initial application material to the departmental chair and request a postdoctoral appointment. If a postdoctoral appointment is tentatively approved, the departmental chair will notify the selection committee of the terms of the potential agreement, including a commitment that the candidate will be allowed to spend no less than hours weekly effort involved in research training activities. Such postdoctoral positions also may carry a faculty-level instructor appointment at the discretion of the departmental chair.

Inquiries about the program should be addressed to: