Written for the American Psychological Association's Office on AIDS by Dr Mitnick., PhD. Dr. Mitnick joined the APA Office on AIDS as a volunteer in February of 1999. For 15 years, he served at the National Institute of Mental Health as the Associate Director for the AIDS Program.
Undergraduate--Be a self-starter. Find out which faculty members volunteer in the community or do AIDS research. Try to volunteer as a research assistant or take part in community efforts. These are good ways to learn more about AIDS and the problems associated with HIV ¾drugs alcohol, sex and other psychological problems. Think about the health care system, stigma, and the economics of prevention and treatment. Identify faculty who have a reputation for mentoring their students and work with them to assist in your career development. Participate sufficiently so that you can become a co-author on publications. (This could be money in the bank for graduate school.)
Graduate--Find schools and departments where faculty are doing HIV/AIDS research. Look for faculty who will provide the breadth and context of psychology as well as depth in HIV/AIDS. Identify sources of support such as Fellowships, Training Grants and research grants. Begin involvement in research and community activities as early as possible. Do more than one project because overspecialization early in one's career could be a problem. Attend professional meetings and write papers for poster sessions. If supported by research or training grants apply for competitive individual fellowships to learn the grant application and review process. Contact staff at federal agencies to learn how to network effectively with them. Thoroughly read and understand the grant announcements to be well prepared to ask specific questions. Network with fellow graduate students, postdoctoral students and faculty first to discuss the nuances of the program announcement. Discuss specific research ideas to learn how to contact the right person.
Postdoctoral--Plan ahead. Network with researchers who have research grants and/or training grants. Before contacting an individual, become familiar with their research; read a description of current or past research. If you have heard them speak or read their work, tell them that is why you are contacting them. Use letters and email first to briefly describe your research interests and ask if this is appropriate for them. If they are not in the specific research field of interest, perhaps they can direct you to someone who is. In addition, indicate that you will be calling to amplify your ideas and get suggestions from them as to who else you might want to contact. Send a curriculum vitae no longer than two pages which you can amplify during the telephone call. It is important to look for a good fit between your interests and theirs.
If you are accepted as a postdoctoral trainee try to narrow down the research you want to do which will give you a head start when you enter the program. Also be open to other opportunities in HIV/AIDS and other areas of psychology. Focused expertise is critical but remember you will have to operate in the real world where general knowledge is also highly valued. Become aware of the myriad of grant programs for which you might be eligible. Start by looking for small grants to gather pilot data that will serve for larger grants. Grant announcements include eligibility criteria, and large grants may be difficult to obtain without much administrative or supervisory experience. Use mentors and colleagues to serve as a review committee before submitting a proposal. Ask Federal program staff if they would be willing to read a summary of what you propose.
