Financial Aid The Department of Biostatistics provides full financial aid for approximately 35 students/year. The most common form of financial aid is as a graduate student researcher (GSR). A GSR is expected to work on one of the many funded research projects maintained by either the Department of Biostatistics or their collaborators in other departments. Currently the stipend is $1669.00 per month and includes a tuition waiver and medical benefits. First year students and international students are eligible for a GSR. A student need not formally apply for financial aid and will automatically be considered for a stipend during the admission process based on the information provided with the application. Factors considered in the awarding of GSR's include undergraduate GPA, GRE scores, prior experience, and letters of recommendation. Since some of the stipends are awarded March 1 each year, in order to maximize the chance of being awarded a stipend all information should be received by February 15 in the admissions office. However, awards continue to be given after that date as funds become available. A limited number of Teaching Assistantships (TA) are also available. Current stipends for a TA are $1749.38 per month and include a tuition waiver. To be eligible for a TA a first year student must be able to exempt the course in which he/she is a TA and pass the oral English competency exam given by the University of Pittsburgh. Additional factors considered in the awarding of a TA are undergraduate GPA, GRE scores, prior experience and letters of recommendation. Return to top
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Predoctoral Training Grant
The Department of Biostatistics at the University of Pittsburgh currently has a five year training program from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Our goal is to train biostatisticians who will be able to provide leadership working for government, industry and academia in a broad range of biomedical areas. Our premise is that to meet the statistical needs of evolving biotechnologies students in biostatistics would benefit from a combination of rigorous training in biostatistical theory, a broader exposure to other disciplines (such as genetics, epidemiology, basic science and bioinformatics), and “hands on” experience working with established researchers and clinicians on “real life” data sets. A comprehensive rotation schedule provides the trainee with the opportunity to collaborate with a diversity of scientists and to apply statistical techniques to data from a wide range of applications. Twenty-nine clinical and basic laboratory scientists have agreed to provide mentorship of the trainee during the rotation period on a variety of studies including clinical trials, epidemiological studies, large scale gene expression (microarray data), neuroimaging studies, complex community surveys and translational research. Stipends for the program are $20,772.00 per year. Students with a bachelors degree or an M.S. degree are eligible. Applicants are eligible for three years of funding for the training program and an additional two years of funding as a graduate student researcher. Interested applicants should contact:
Howard E. Rockette, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Biostatistics
Graduate School of Public Health University of Pittsburgh
130 DeSoto Street
Pittsburgh PA 15261
412/624-3022
Email: herbst@pitt.edu
Concurrently, the applicant may also begin processing an application at the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh. However, this is not necessary in order to inquire about the training program and those interested are encouraged to contact the Chair for information as early as possible. Application review will begin February 15, 2006. Due to the source of funding, the Program is restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Return to top
Minority Health Fellowships/Traineeships
All minority applicants and students are eligible for the full range of financial support including research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and training grants. In addition, there are several financial awards designed specifically for minority applicants.
The Graduate School of Public Health is one of the few schools in the Nation with a Center for Minority Health. The Center provides leadership in the coordination of the academic, research and service activities of faculty and students who deal with relevant issues in minority health. Dr. Stephen Thomas, Phillip Hallen Professor of Community Health and Social Justice, is the current Director of the Center.
The Department of Biostatistics, in collaboration with the Center for Minority Health, has established a minority health fellowship. The fellowship provides for a first-year student from a minority full tuition and a stipend of $1,440 per month. The student will participate in the activities of the Center for Minority Health, working to achieve elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities and work on selected projects within the Department of Biostatistics. Applicants to both the Master's and Doctoral program are eligible.
Minority Doctoral students are also eligible for the K. Leroy Irvis Fellowship. This fellowship, awarded to first-year students, provides a tuition waiver and a monthly stipend of $1,350. After the first year, the successful student is supported by other financial mechanisms within the department (research assistantships, teaching assistantships, training grants) for a minimum of three years.
Biostatistics in Psychiatric Research: A Training Grant A. Program Description There is a growing need for biostatisticians in university, government and private industry. Psychiatric research in pharmacological, behavioral, psychosocial and service interventions, and the identification and reduction of barriers to good depression treatments have become important over the past several years. The Biostatistics in Psychiatric Research Training Program fills this need by focusing on training biostatisticians to develop and apply new or refined statistical methodology in the area of mental health research. This will be accomplished with a rigorous training program in advanced biostatistical theory and basic understanding of selected scientific areas related to psychiatric disorders. The program will provide opportunities for trainees to apply various statistical techniques to data collected from studies involving psychiatric illnesses. The training program is very closely integrated with the existing doctoral training program in the Department of Biostatistics. Each student will have two mentors, one from the Department of Biostatistics and one from the Department of Psychiatry. The trainees will work on psychiatric research projects for their practicum training. Doctoral students will enter the training program after completing the first year course requirements for the biostatistics PhD degree. Students with advanced standing or adequate research experience can enter the program in their first year of study. Trainees will receive financial support for their entire period of study based on satisfactory academic and research performance. The areas of concentration are defined by two tracks: 1) intervention research emphasizing advanced statistical methodology, methodology for analyzing psychiatric neuroimaging data and mental health services research methodology; and 2) psychiatric genetics emphasizing statistical methodology for deciphering genetic psychiatric traits. Program Director: Sati Mazumdar , PhD, Professor of Biostatistics and Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh . Program Co-Director: Charles F. Reynolds III , M.D. Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosciences in the School of Medicine , University of Pittsburgh . C. Application Procedure Doctoral students who want to apply to the Biostatistics in Psychiatry Training Program must first be accepted into the Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics. For information on the application procedures, contact the Office of Student and Alumni Affairs at 412-624-5200 or at: http://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/interior.php?pageID=96. Information about the Department of Biostatistics academic programs can be found at www.biostat.pitt.edu . Biostatistics in Psychiatric Research: A Training Program flyer Return to top | 
