Admissions Criteria
The following qualifications are required:
- An undergraduate degree from an accredited institution with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (equal to a letter grade of B).
- Preference will be given to applicants who have demonstrated knowledge or experience in some aspect of a health-related field (e.g., clinical practice, public health, health promotion) by virtue of a graduate or professional degree (MD, DDS, PharmD, PhD or international equivalent), being currently enrolled in such a program or relevant work experience. Although not required, this prior knowledge or experience is preferred because program scholars will be required to perform original research in an area of their choosing to fulfill graduation requirements. Prior substantive knowledge or experience in a health-related field can be very helpful in identifying a research area of interest and in maintaining motivation for the work.
- An established relationship with a research mentor at UCSF, a faculty member in the School of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy or Dentistry. Scholars already at UCSF should have this established by the time of application. Those who are applying from outside UCSF should have secured a mentor by the beginning of the program. Applicants applying from outside UCSF are encouraged to identify and contact UCSF research mentors on their own or, after acceptance into the program, may request assistance from the TICR program to help them identify a research mentor.
- For scholars who are primarily based in other training programs at UCSF, supervisor's assurance that at least 70 percent of time will be available August through May to divide between the classroom activities of this program and the conduct of the trainee's clinical research projects.
- Affirmation of the Professional Conduct Statement (signed during orientation)
How to Apply
Applications are accepted beginning Jan. 1, and the deadline to apply is May 2, 2023. The following are required:
Upon completion of the Graduate Division Application, official transcripts from all institutions attended after high school should be submitted directly to the Program. We do not accept transcripts submitted by the student. The Program prefers official electronic transcripts (e-transcripts). Official e-transcripts can be sent directly to [email protected]. If only hardcopies are available, official transcripts should be mailed to:
Admissions
Training in Clinical Research (TICR) Program
University of California, San Francisco
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Mission Hall (UCSF Box 0560)
550 16th Street, 2nd floor
San Francisco, CA 94143
(For FedEx only, use 94158)
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and applicants are notified of admission decisions within six weeks of our receipt of complete applications. All application materials, including letters of recommendation and transcripts, must be received for the application to considered complete. If any portion of the application is missing by the final due date, the application will be considered incomplete and will not be further considered without petition, explanation and payment of a $150 late fee. Additional late fees may apply for exceptionally late transactions.
Early application is particularly encouraged for applicants originating outside of the San Francisco Bay Area who may require finding housing or visas.
Questions? Contact Clair Dunne, Program Coordinator.
International Applicants
The ATCR Program welcomes applications from international scholars who meet the prerequisites, but the program does not directly provide any financial aid.
Applicants to the Credit-bearing ATCR Certificate Program: International applicants from non-English-speaking countries must demonstrate proficiency in English by completing one year of study with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 at an accredited college or university in the United States, or by obtaining the following minimum scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the IELTS - International English Language Testing System (code 4840):
- Paper-based TOEFL – 550
- Computer based TOEFL – 213
- Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) – 80
- IELTS – 7
All transcripts from outside the United States and Canada must be accompanied by an evaluations from an accredited evaluation service. We recommend World Education Services (WES). This must be included with the application.
Once an international applicant has been accepted into the program, the scholar should work with UCSF's International Students and Scholars Office to obtain the appropriate visa. Note that the program begins on July 18, 2022, so travel arrangements should be made to arrive in San Francisco by July 17, 2022.
