The Johns Hopkins - Fogarty African Bioethics Training Program
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, in collaboration with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Clinical Bioethics, are pleased to offer a one year training program in research ethics for scientists and professionals from sub-Saharan Africa. This training program is supported by the Fogarty International Center, U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The training program will provide funding for African scientists, professionals, and senior scholars to study bioethics and research ethics, and also to do an independent project in their home country related to research ethics. The training program is directed by Drs. Nancy Kass and Adnan Hyder.
Appropriate candidates include researchers who are working at universities, government ministries, private organizations and other relevant health research institutions, as well as professionals working with institutional review boards or research ethics boards. Pre- and post-doctoral trainees from a country in sub-Saharan Africa and with a strong interest in international health research ethics will be considered. Pre-doctoral trainees must have a bachelors degree in any relevant field. Post-doctoral trainees must have a Ph.D., M.D., or the equivalent. Trainees should develop a clear plan of how they will integrate the training into their current work/research responsibilities, should have a clear statement of support from a division head or other relevant supervisor and preferably should have some previous experience in research ethics.
Where is the training program based?
The training program is a one-year program. For six months, from January through June, trainees will be based in Baltimore, Maryland, USA at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, attending classes, seminars and engaged in other relevant training opportunities at Johns Hopkins, Georgetown University, and at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). For the second half of the training year, from July through December, trainees will return to their home countries to conduct a funded, independent project related to research ethics under the supervision of mentor(s) in the U.S. and in Africa.
What type of training do trainees receive?
All trainees will take courses in bioethics, research ethics and international health research ethics. Trainees also participate in seminars related to quantitative and qualitative research methodology. Aditionally, trainees will attend a one-week intensive research ethics workshop at Georgetown University and a one-week intensive international research ethics course at Johns Hopkins. Trainees will participate in monthly seminars of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, and the NIH Department of Clinical Bioethics and will also observe monthly Institutional Review Board (IRB) meetings at Johns Hopkins and/or the NIH.
What type of projects will trainees be involved in when they return home?
Funding will be provided for trainees to conduct an independent project in their home country. Projects might include providing ethics workshops for research colleagues or research ethics committee members; conducting a research project where study participants are interviewed to see what they understand; implementing a new type of informed consent procedure in a study and evaluating it; or writing a scholarly paper on an aspect of international health research ethics that is of interest to the trainee. Mentors from Africa and the U.S. will provide guidance and support during the project period by email.
What background do previous Fogarty-Johns Hopkins African Bioethics trainees have?
Previous trainees come from a variety of professional backgrounds. You may view brief biographical sketches of our current and past trainees.
No, the trainees will be non-degree students at Johns Hopkins University and will not receive a degree from the university. Trainees will receive a certificate from the Berman Institute of Bioethics at Johns Hopkins after they have completed the one-year program.
What type of support do trainees receive through the program?
Tuition for courses at Johns Hopkins University and for the Georgetown University, Kennedy Institute of Ethics Intensive Bioethics Training Course.
Housing in a single, full-service apartment in Baltimore for 6 months.
6-month stipend to cover food and other living expenses while in Baltimore
Round-trip airfare between home country and Baltimore, Maryland
Local transportation (for relevant meetings in Washington, D.C.)
Access to computer facilities at Johns Hopkins University
Funds to support research costs for 6-month independent study in their home country
Laptop computer
What is the timetable for applications, review, and training?
Activity
Date
Application Materials are due
July 15
Candidates are selected
August 15
Selected candidates are asked to confirm attendance
September 1
Training begins at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, USA
Mid January
Trainees return to Africa for in-country practicum
Mid July
Training program ends
January of following year
How do I apply for the training program?
Applications for the 2009 training program are due by July 15, 2008.
Application materials can be downloaded with the following links: [ PDF | Word ]
Application materials can be submitted by email, fax, or by courier mail to
By fax:
410-614-9567
By email or courier:
Joseph Ali Senior Administrative Coordinator Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics 624 N Broadway
