Integrative Health Equity and Applied Research (IHEAR) Summer Training Program

IHEAR 2022 cohort

IHEAR logoThe UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health provides an eight-week summer training program focused on Integrative Health Equity and Applied Research (IHEAR) for an interprofessional cohort of predoctoral health professions students. The goal of the NIH-funded IHEAR training program is to build the capacity and diversity of the integrative medicine research workforce to advance health equity.

Integrative health equity is an emerging field focused on applying integrative approaches to improving health among underserved and vulnerable populations and testing models to improve access to integrative medicine in inadequately resourced settings. 

Please direct any questions about the program to Ms. Yvette Coulter at [email protected]. 

2025 Program Dates: June 9 – August 1, 2025.

Applications are due by 5 pm PST on Friday, February 28, 2025

 

 

IHEAR Provides:

Instruction in the science of social health and healthcare disparities and the role of complementary and integrative health approaches in advancing health equity
Development of foundational research skills (e.g., formulating research questions, selecting research methods, interpreting evidence)
Participation in mentored, applied research projects
Monthly stipend of $2352

Eligibility and Application

Eligibility

  • Applicants to the program must be currently enrolled in a health professions doctoral program (such as acupuncture, medicine, naturopathy, nursing, osteopathy, pharmacy, and public health).
  • Applicants must be a United States citizen, a non-citizen national, or a foreign national possessing a visa permitting permanent US residence.
  • Applicants from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences will be given priority, although membership in one of these groups is not a requirement. For details regarding NIH diversity eligibility, see Notice on NIH’s Interest in Diversity.
  • We support a comprehensive application review, considering all elements of the application for admission. Decisions are made independent of GRE scores which are not required. The Osher Center welcomes learners with a diversity of lived experiences.

Application Requirements

  • Submit completed application electronically by 5:00 pm PST, Friday, February 28, 2025
  • All applications must be submitted electronically using the online application form
  • Personal Statement (600-word maximum, submitted as PDF):
    • Why are you interested in integrative medicine and underserved, vulnerable populations?
    • What are your academic and career goals?
    • What has inspired or motivated you to pursue these goals? (Expand on community involvement, volunteer experiences, previous research, personal life experiences, etc.)?
    • How will participating in IHEAR help you reach your goals?
    • Any other information about yourself that you would like us to know.
  • Resume/CV as a PDF.

Two letters of recommendation from a professor or other relevant person on official letterhead sent to Ms. Yvette Coulter at [email protected]. Letters of recommendation are due no later than end of business on Monday, March 3, 2025.

Timeline:

  • Application Deadline: Friday, February 28, 2025 by 5 pm PST
    • Letters of recommendation are due no later than the end of business on Monday, March 3, 2025
  • Decisions Made (tentative): March 31, 2025
  • Program Start: June 9, 2025
  • Program End: August 1, 2025

To learn more about the program or if you have questions about the application process, please contact Yvette Coulter. 

 

IHEAR Training Program Co-Directors

Maria Chao headshot 2022

Maria T. Chao, DrPH, MPA

Director of Research, Associate Director for Health Equity and Diversity, Associate Director of Clinical Research and Analytics
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Andrea Haidar, MS, MA, LCSW
The IHEAR program catalyzed my growth as an integrative health equity researcher. I developed new skills, received excellent mentorship, and had many opportunities to learn from peers in discussions and presentations. Through my experiences in IHEAR, I felt empowered to strengthen my research on mindfulness-based interventions with Arab Americans and pursue opportunities to increase the impact of my work.
Andrea Haidar, MS, MA, LCSW (IHEAR 2022)
Clinical Psychology PhD student, Northwestern University
Eushvia Bogan
The IHEAR program was an amazing opportunity to explore multidisciplinary and radical approaches to healing and medicine. It gave me dedicated time to learn about care modalities not often taught in medical school, while also providing space for me to connect with like-minded thinkers and mentors striving to create more holistic approaches to healthcare.
Eushavia Bogan, BA (IHEAR 2023)
Medical Student, UCSF
Gabriella Gutierrez, BS
I was an IHEAR fellow during the summer between my first and second years of medical school, and I found this early exposure to clinicians and researchers in my field of interest to be immensely helpful for career planning. IHEAR solidified my desire to pursue a career in integrative medicine and introduced me to mentors who have built careers that serve as a model for my own.
Gabriella Gutierrez, BS (IHEAR 2022)
Medical Student, UCSF
Lu Ding
IHEAR is an incredible program that fosters a network of mentors and peers that has fundamentally supported my professional development. IHEAR not only connects you to leaders at the forefront of integrative health research, but allows you to participate in that research.
Jessica Lu Ding, MM (IHEAR 2023)
MD-PhD student at Michigan State University
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