University of Florida

The FDA/CDER Graduate Training Program in POP Research

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration/Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (FDA/CDER) in collaboration with the University of Florida offers an educational program aimed at attracting scientists and health professionals to the FDA/CDER.  This program provides participants with two years of advanced graduate education at the masters or doctorate (PhD) level designed to advance scientific training and analysis involved in the safety and regulatory decisions unique to the center’s and agency’s mission.  The Partnership admits 15 to 20 recent graduates from the health sciences annually in the Masters or PhD program in the UF Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes or Policy (POP).  Students selected for these programs will be full-time students at the University of Florida.  They will receive tuition, room, board, and a salary during their training.  The student must agree to work for FDA/CDER for two years for each year of paid tuition.

While students will enroll in the existing POP MS and PhD program, stronger focus on FDA/CDER needs will be integrated in didactic course work and projects.  Extensive hands-on experience in FDA regulatory science including regulatory review opportunities and mentoring will be provided by affiliate faculty located at CDER. 

Entry requirements
In addition to meeting requirements for admission into the POP graduate program students need to be enrolled into the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.  Applicants interested in becoming an officer in the USPHS need to:

• Be a U.S. citizen (does not include permanent residents of the U.S. that hold a Green Card)
• Be less than 44 years of age
• Be medically qualified
• Have a current, unrestricted professional license (if applicable)
• Have a qualifying degree (clinical or related sciences) from an accredited institution.

Application procedures

For further information please contact: