Training & Mentoring

IBACH’s solid infrastructure, strong partnerships, diverse investigators, and demonstrated successes make the institute an excellent training facility for the next generation of leaders in minority health and health disparities. We involve trainees at all levels including high school, undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students, those in between training programs, post-doctoral fellows, and junior investigators. Among our values is to provide trainees from under-represented backgrounds with the mentorship to foster productive careers in public health and related fields.

IBACH offers the following training and mentoring opportunities:

1. Paid and volunteer internships
The investigators and research staff of IBACH, at any one time, are managing studies on topics that are as diverse as oral health, physical activity, homelessness, and the prevention of unplanned pregnancies. The methodologies they use are culturally- and contextually-relevant, evidence-based and innovative. Many studies involve a partnership with other organizations such as other universities and research institutes, community based organizations, and Federally Qualified Health Centers to name a few.Teams, both small and large, welcome the involvement of new trainees!Please contact us if you wish to be added to our listserve with information about internships and other research opportunities.In addition, if you are a currently enrolled student, we have service learning agreements with many departments and schools at SDSU and universities within San Diego County and beyond. Many service learning agreements allow students to receive course credit for their involvement on our studies.

2. Fellowships
IBACH studies are typically funded directly, or indirectly through another university, by federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. Both of these organizations, including others, provide trainees with funding opportunities to support their research training. These funding opportunities often require the mentorship of a funded investigator on a topic that aligns with the trainees.The best approach for identifying possible fellowships is by getting on the IBACH listserve to hear about opportunities and contacting IBACH investigators who are doing similar research to your own.

3. Supporting affiliated training programs
IBACH coordinates with many programs on and off the SDSU campus to provide under-represented trainees with opportunities designed to encourage them to pursue careers in public health or related fields. A current example of this effort is the Partnership Scholar Program though the SDSU-UCSD Cancer Center Comprehensive Partnership. Please visit our website to obtain updates on other affiliated training programs.

4. Job opportunities
IBACH studies come with opportunities for trainees to gain employment, both during and after their training period. Please visit the SDSU Research Foundation website for more information about job opportunities through IBACH.