GW HIV Predoctoral Research in Epidemiology Program T32 | Milken Institute School of Public Health

Training the next generation of HIV Epidemiology Researchers

The GW HIV Predoctoral Research in Epidemiology Program (T32)

The NIH/NIAID-funded GW HIV Predoctoral Research in Epidemiology Program T32 (GW HIVPREPT) will prepare a cohort of 10 predoctoral students (two per year, 2027 to 2031) in epidemiology to be the next generation of scientists well-positioned to help end the HIV epidemic. Now over 45 years into the HIV epidemic, the role of multidisciplinary research has never been more vitally important. Epidemiologists need to be trained to collaborate across disciplines and embrace multiple approaches and methodologies. Epidemiologists who are trained in the design, conduct, analysis, and dissemination of cutting-edge HIV research including novel implementation science and advanced data science analytics will be best positioned to halt the epidemic. Strong training programs in advanced analytic techniques such as use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, community-based research, implementation science, and clinical trials are urgently needed to ensure the capacity of the next generation of scientists. GW HIVPREPT will support advanced and multidisciplinary training in epidemiology for the next generation of researchers.

Program Objectives

The objectives of this five-year training program are to:

Recruit, support, and train a cohort of 10 predoctoral epidemiology students (two per year) to develop skills in one of three concentrations:
1. Clinical Trials;
2. Design and Analytics; or
3. Implementation Science
Provide outstanding training in epidemiology and advanced analytic methods, along with responsible conduct of research
Provide students with multidisciplinary mentorship and peer collaboration through meaningful programmatic coordination
Support and mentor students to develop professional skills to enhance their future professional success in HIV research.

Departmental Home

GW HIVPREPT is housed in GW’s longstanding and successful PhD program in epidemiology in the Department of Epidemiology at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. More information about the program may be found here.

Program Direction

Principal Investigator Dr. Manya Magnus is a professor in and chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Milken Institute School of Public Health. An epidemiologist with over 30 years of experience in HIV research, graduate teaching, and mentoring junior scholars will lead this program. with Co-Director Dr. Heather Young, a professor in and vice chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Milken Institute School of Public Health, who will provide educational leadership of the program. Dr. Young is an epidemiologist with over 20 years of experience in epidemiologic and biostatistical consulting who has taught numerous courses in graduate epidemiology and biostatistics to public health and health professions students.

Dissertation Research and Track-Specific Mentors

Applied doctoral training and dissertation supervision will be under the direction of carefully curated preceptors in NIH-funded research settings in their clinics and research teams. Participating preceptors are faculty within the GW School of Public Health and the NIH-funded DC Center for AIDS Research’s collaborative nine-institution network, providing students with rich training opportunities that will launch their scientific careers and prepare them to end the HIV epidemic.

Available Tracks

Accepted trainees will focus their curricula, work activities, and dissertation research in one of three areas related to HIV epidemiology:

1) Clinical Trials,

2) Design and Analytics, or

3) Implementation Science.

After completion of the PhD core and required courses, elective planning with the T32 program Directors will allow carefully curated course selection in one of these tracks. The coursework will provide the basis for methodological understanding of the track content, which will then be applied in day-to-day practice and work and, ultimately, in the doctoral dissertation research.

Available Resources

Accepted GW HIVPREPT predoctoral scholars are eligible to receive the following:

Up to two years of full-time tuition support for the PhD program
Up to two years of part-time tuition support in dissertation credits for the PhD program following successful completion of the comprehensive examination
Annual stipend commensurate with NIH and GW predoctoral positions
Coverage of health insurance, fees, and other related expenses (established on a per-student basis)
Coverage of childcare to the maximum NIH allowable limit
An annual budget of up to $500 reimbursed expenses for educational travel and materials for up to four years
Student membership in the DC CFAR and access to services and events
Mentorship, engagement in School and University training enrichment activities such as journal clubs, work-life-balance events, seminars, grant-writing trainings, multi-school/multidisciplinary collaborative activities, a dedicated incubator for HIV epidemiologic research, academic training in our innovative Teaching Fellows program, and more.

Application Process

GW HIVPREPT looks forward to considering applications in the 2026-2027 admissions cycle and welcoming its inaugural cohort of predoctoral scholars in fall 2027.

Key dates are as follows:

Apply via SOPHAS to the GW Epidemiology PhD Program by December 1, 2026
Submit the T32-specific Letter of Interest by January 1, 2027
Students who are accepted to the PhD program and who have submitted a Letter of Interest may be invited to interview with GW HIVPREPT faculty no later than February 15, 2027

Final decisions regarding T32 admission will be provided no later than March 1, 2027.

Letter of Interest Submission Requirements

Due dates	Application to the PhD program via SOPHAS must be received by 11:59 pm (ET) on December 1, 2026 Letters of Interest must be received by 11:59 pm (ET) on January 1, 2027 to be considered
Submission process	The below requested materials should be assembled in a single pdf and emailed to Dr. Manya Magnus at manyadmgwu [dot] edu (manyadm[at]gwu[dot]edu) with a cc: to Joe Schmitthenner at at%20jschmitthennergwu [dot] edu (jschmitthenner[at]gwu[dot]edu) It is the applicant’s responsibility to confirm receipt
Personal statement (Maximum 5 pages)	Please include a discussion of: Why do you want to be a GW HIVPREPT predoctoral trainee? Interest in HIV epidemiology and selected program track If applicable, experience in HIV epidemiology to date Professional goals and how the GW HIVPREPT program will support them Engagement in past formal mentoring programs (NIH or other) Confirmation of applicant eligibility (U.S. Citizen; willing to relocate to attend school and work in person) Other information that would assist the Admissions Committee in reviewing your application
Biosketch or resume	Please submit an updated resume or NIH Biosketch.

GW HIVPREPT Eligibility

Applicants must be U.S. Citizens and be willing and able to attend school and work and learn in person for the duration of the PhD program.

Program faculty will review each application of admitted PhD students holistically. Particular attention will be paid to the following:

Academic record and accomplishments related to epidemiology and HIV
Strength of letters of recommendation
Past publication record
Demonstration of interest in HIV epidemiology
Alignment with one of the three program tracks:
- Clinical Trials;
- Design and Analytics; or
- Implementation Science
Interest in a career in HIV epidemiology with a focus on multidisciplinary science
Other characteristics that demonstrate a commitment to the field of HIV epidemiology.

Please note that applicants do not need to identify a dissertation mentor or preceptor at the time of application to the program. Faculty in the doctoral program will work with accepted students to identify an appropriate mentor and placement. Students should not reach out to Department or DC CFAR faculty unless they are instructed to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I reach out to faculty if I am interested in applying?: Applicants are welcome to write to Dr. Magnus or Dr. Young with questions about the research offerings and educational offerings, respectively. Please do not reach out directly to prospective mentors unless advised to by Dr. Magnus or Dr. Young. Finalists and accepted applicants will be introduced accordingly.
Will I have the opportunity to teach?: Learning to teach is a crucial component of becoming a doctorally-prepared epidemiologist. We tailor teaching opportunities to the interests of the students, and mentor them along the way. We offer numerous opportunities to learn and integrate epidemiologic pedagogical techniques, including our Riegelman Educational Fellows program, which competitively awards students the chance to be mentored in education and have an independent educational project. Teaching is not a required component of the PhD or T32 program, however.
How many slots do you have?: Provided funding remains available and there are competitive and appropriate applicants, we will accept two GW HIVPREPT students each year. Students accepted in Years 1 through 4 will have up to two years of tuition provided; students accepted in Year 5 will have at least one year of tuition provided (a second year will be contingent on continued funding).
Is there a stipend available?: All students will receive at a minimum the NIH predoctoral stipend each year of their course work and up to two years of their dissertation work. Stipends are contingent upon satisfactory progress in the program, successful completion of comprehensive exams and other requirements, and availability of funding from NIH.
Can I enroll remotely or part-time?: No, this is a full-time, residential program.
Do I have to select my track or mentors when I submit my Letter of Interest?: Students will develop expertise in one of three areas: clinical trials, design and analytics, or implementation science. We ask that you indicate which area you are most interested in and why when you submit your LOI, but you will not need to commit to that until you are accepted and have completed the first semester of the program. Similarly, our program advisors will work with you to identify a suitable mentor for your dissertation work and experiential learning; you do not need to do this on your own.
If accepted, can I defer?: While you may be able to defer your PhD program acceptance, deferrals for the T32 are not permissible.
Can I apply to the T32 first and then to the PhD program?: No, please apply via SOPHAS to the PhD program first and submit your Letter of Interest for GW HIVPREPT separately in order to be considered. Students must be accepted into the PhD program in Epidemiology in order to be considered for the T32.
Is an interview required?: You may be invited for an interview; however, being (or not being) invited to an interview is not an indication that you will or will not be accepted into the T32 or into the PhD program.

For questions about the GW HIVPREPT program, please email manyadmgwu [dot] edu (Dr. Manya Magnus).

For questions about the GW doctoral program in epidemiology, please email younghgwu [dot] edu (Dr. Heather Young).

Funding Acknowledgement: GW HIV Predoctoral Research in Epidemiology Program T32 (GW HIVPREPT) is supported by award number 1T32AI192046 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. This statement acknowledges receipt of federal funding. The content of the website, however, is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.