Course in Scientific Management and Leadership Development

This workshop will be of value and interest to all experienced postdoctoral and clinical fellows and junior faculty in the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences planning careers in basic or clinical research of education.

2. I am an associate professor. Would it be appropriate for me to attend?

Not at this time. Right now, we are focusing on experienced fellows and faculty just beginning their academic careers. Later on, depending upon the response to this workshop, we may open it up to the larger research community.

3. This course looks great but with my busy schedule, I can only go to a few sessions. Is this okay?

No. We strongly believe that the sum of the course exceeds its parts and that attendees will achieve a much richer reward by attending the entire course. In the application, you are asked to commit to attending the whole course and the nominating letter provided by your Chair should indicate commitment to complete attendance. Those applicants with weaker commitment to attendance will not be accepted into the program.

Application and Nomination

4. How do I get nominated for this workshop?

Your Department Chair, Division chief, Institute or center Director, or your Dean must nominate you through a letter of nomination. If you are interested in participating in the course, contact your Chair and discuss your participation with that individual.

5. What should the nominating letter say?

At a minimum, the letter of nomination should include an expression of support for your career as an investigator or educator as well as a commitment that you will attend the entire course. The stronger the letter, the better your chances are of being accepted. Letters should also indicate the source of payment for the course, e.g., departmental funds, professional development funds, personal funds. You might want to offer to draft the letter for your Chair.

6. To whom should the letter be addressed?

Nomination letters should be addressed to Chair, Course in Scientific Management and Leadership Admissions Committee, University of Pittsburgh, 301 Scaife Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, and uploaded as a PDF or Word document as part of the application process.

7. What goes into the application?

The application is very brief and asks about information on the stage of your career and why you should be selected for this course. The application can be found here.

8. How much detail should I put into the reasons I should be selected for this course?

You are limited to 200 words; but that being said, you should provide as much explanation as you can for why this course is important to your career development. Acceptance into the course is a competitive process and the more we know about you and your reasons for wanting to be a participant, the better your chances are.

9. What criteria will be used to review the applicants?

Senior fellows, postdocs, and faculty who are just starting out in their careers will receive highest priority. Applications that provide a clear commitment to a career in clinical or basic research or education will be reviewed positively. A strong letter of nomination indicating commitment on the part of the Department Chair to support the candidate's academic career will be very important in producing a strong application. See selection criteria here.

10. How many applicants will be accepted?

Course enrollment is currently limited to 60 participants.

Faculty and Course Content

11. Who are the faculty for the course?

Faculty include distinguished investigators and educators from throughout the Schools of the Health Sciences and outside consultants noted for their experience in professional development. To see who the particular faculty are, please click here.

12. Is there any preparation required for the workshop?

Yes. Due to the extensive amount of materials we expect to cover during the course, we are requiring participants to complete two personal inventory assessments (Myers-Briggs and 360° Skillscope) prior to the course. The Myers-Briggs Assessment needs to be completed by you and is designed to measure people in four areas: how a person relates to others, how a person takes in information, how a person makes decisions, and how a person orders their life. The 360° Skillscope Assessment provides insightful feedback on job-related strengths and weaknesses and requires completion by you AND by some of your colleagues and supervisors. Prior to applying, please ensure that you supervisor(s) and colleagues are willing to complete this on-line instrument which takes about 30 minutes to complete. (More information will be provided upon acceptance into the course.)

13. What is the specific content of the workshop?

The complete program and course schedule can be found here.

14. Is there any homework associated with this course?

Yes, there are 2 very brief take-home assignments the 1st and 2nd day of the course. Additionally, you may want to reflect on what you have learned in the sessions or discovered about your leadership style during the course.

Registration Fees

15. How much is the registration for this workshop?

A registration fee of $550.00 is required to help subsidize the costs associated with this course.

16. Who pays my registration fee for this workshop?

You are responsible for your registration fee. We encourage you to seek support from your division or department to attend this valuable course.