We are inviting junior faculty committed to clinical or translational research careers to apply for the 2026-2027 Cohort of the Vice President’s Clinical and Translational (VPCAT) Research Scholars Program. The VPCAT Program is a competitive, 2-year mentoring program that offers intensive mentorship and support to primarily Instructor or Assistant Professor-level faculty members from all colleges and schools within the Health Sciences, the Colleges of Engineering, Mines & Earth Sciences, Social & Behavioral Science, and Social Work, and Intermountain Health. Interested applicants who are not members of the colleges mentioned earlier should contact Jess Brunt regarding eligibility.
VPCAT leverages institutional resources to augment departmental and college resources in support of junior faculty engaged in clinical and translational research using a multi-level Matrix Mentoring Model that includes self, scientific, peer, senior, and staff mentorship. A mentoring team consisting of a scientific mentor, a VPCAT senior mentor, peer mentors, and staff mentors supports VPCAT scholar. VPCAT has a structured curriculum that provides leadership competencies and essential knowledge and practical skills to be an effective principal investigator. In addition, VPCAT supports scholars’ access to the Utah Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s Translational Research: Implementation, Analysis, & Design (TRIAD) Cores, educational opportunities, and a senior research manager. These resources facilitate appropriate study design, pilot data collection, and preparation/submission of highly competitive grant applications.
A prospective VPCAT scholar should be engaged in clinical and translational research and aspire to obtain research funding as a principal investigator. VPCAT expects applicants to have a clearly defined research interest, an identified scientific mentor, and a plan to apply for extramural funding during their program tenure. Ideal candidates are early-stage faculty beyond their 1st year at their institution, with preferably one or more original research publications with their scientific mentor. For more information and tips for writing an excellent application, we are holding a virtual VPCAT Application Workshop for eligible prospective applicants on Friday, August 29, 2025, 4:00-5:00 pm. To register, email Jess Brunt.
Please visit our website for further details, including applicant eligibility criteria, instructions, review criteria, example applications, and program overviews and requirements. All applications are due by Friday, September 26, 2025, at 5:00 pm MST via Competition Space, and we will not accept late applications. Over October 2025, VPCAT senior mentors and VPCAT Alumni Advisory Board members review and score applications adhering to our review criteria. We will release selection notifications by November 7, 2025. All accepted applicants must attend the mandatory in-person 1-day VPCAT Orientation on Monday, December 8, 2025. That evening from 6:00-8:00 pm, we will host the VPCAT Capstone and Soirée (location TBD). Scholars begin the program on January 1, 2026, and graduate as of December 31, 2027.
If you have questions about the VPCAT Program or faculty eligibility, please email Jess Brunt or the VPCAT Director, Dr. Michael Rubin.
