We are inviting early-career faculty committed to clinical or translational research careers to apply for the 2027-2028 Cohort of the Vice President’s Clinical and Translational (VPCAT) Research Scholars Program. The VPCAT Program is a competitive, 2-year mentoring program designed to offer 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, Humanities, Mines & Earth Sciences, Social & Behavioral Science, and Social Work, and Intermountain Health. Interested applicants who are not members of the colleges mentioned should contact vpcat@utah.edu regarding eligibility.
VPCAT leverages institutional resources to augment departmental and college resources in support of early-career faculty engaged in clinical and translational research using a holistic framework, the Matrix Mentoring Model, that includes five levels of mentorship: self, scientific, peer, senior, and staff. A mentoring team consisting of a scientific mentor, a VPCAT senior mentor, peer mentors, and staff mentors supports each 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) Team 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 strong research question that will address an important gap, an identified scientific mentor, and a clear plan to apply for extramural funding during their time in the program. Ideal candidates are early-career faculty beyond their 1st year at their institution, with preferably one or more original research publications with their scientific mentor, and a coherent plan to capitalize on the program’s resources and opportunities during their time in the program. For more information and tips for writing an excellent application, we are holding a virtual VPCAT Application Workshop for eligible prospective applicants on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, 12:00-1:00 pm. To register, email vpcat@utah.edu.
Please visit our How to Apply site for further details, including applicant eligibility criteria, instructions, review criteria, example applications, and program overviews and requirements. All applications are due by Friday, September 25, 2026, at 5:00 pm MST via Competition Space, and we will not accept late applications. Over October 2026, 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 6, 2026. All accepted applicants must attend the mandatory in-person 1-day VPCAT Orientation on Monday, December 7, 2026. 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, 2027, and graduate as of December 31, 2028.
If you have questions about the VPCAT Program or faculty eligibility, please email vpcat@utah.edu or the VPCAT Director, Dr. Michael Rubin.
Contact Information
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VPCAT How to Apply Site: https://uofuhealth.utah.edu/faculty/faculty-development/vpcat/apply |
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Competition Space: https://utah.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/2025016 |
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Email for Questions: vpcat@utah.edu |
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