Overview
The Translational Research Institute (TRI), through its collaboration with several UAMS Colleges and Departments, offers scholarships for masters in translational science (SMART) program. Each awardee will be supported to cover up to 30% FTE to allow scholar time to dedicate to the program.
The mission of the program is to train investigators in the knowledge, skills, and competencies of clinical and translational science. This is accomplished through didactic coursework, mentored research, and a capstone project using a NIH grant format or a thesis project. The program requires a total of 36 credit hours and should be completed in two academic years.
Eligibility
Qualified candidates are full-time UAMS faculty as of July 1, 2025 who are interested in applying to the SMART Program in the coming fall semester, 2025.
Candidates must meet the eligibility requirements of the UAMS Graduate School’s Clinical and Translational Sciences Admission and Track Requirements at the UAMS Graduate School.
For questions related to the Scholarship Program contact Drs. Shelley Crary or Mario Schootman.
New News
Qualified candidates are full-time UAMS faculty as of July 1, 2025 who are interested in applying to the SMART Program in the coming fall semester, 2025. The following documents are required in the application and need to be submitted online by 5:00 pm May 6, 2025:
- Career Development Statement/Personal Statement: Must show strong interest in clinical and/or translational research. Goals of the program and early career development must be clearly stated. While you may not have a specific research plan outlined, some idea of research interests and goals should be stated. Successful applicants will show a dedication to pursuing future funding (K12, K23, R21, foundation grants, etc.) by the end of the master’s program. In addition, at least one research mentor needs to be identified and stated in the application. A letter of support from the mentor is not required but is highly preferred.
- Letter of Support from Department Chair: This letter should have a clear statement of commitment for two years of 30% protected time for attending the program. Department chairs may nominate faculty for the program.
- Curriculum Vitae from the applicant.
Applicants are required to complete the online application and upload the required documents in the order listed above.
Curriculum
The SMART Program offers a robust curriculum that features well-blended didactic courses in areas of clinical and translational science, a faculty + peer mentored research experience, and a ready-for-submission grant proposal as the final capstone project. In particular, students are required to complete a total of 24 credit hours in didactic courses, including 14 credit hours of core courses, 7-9 credit hours of required elective courses in three designated areas (or groups): (A) clinical study, practice, management and regulation, (B) study design and research methods, and (C) analysis and computation in biostatistics and bioinformatics. In each of the first semesters, students will use a total of 6 credit hours to conduct research and prepare a grant proposal with their faculty mentors as well as their peers. In the final semester, students will use the capstone (6 credit hours) to develop and complete a grant proposal (such as a K- award) with review and approval from the mentors. Details of curriculum and a sample course plans are found on the Graduate School Curriculum webpage.
Tuition, Fees and Scholarships
UAMS faculty will pay 10% of tuition for residents (for example, the resident tuition is $4,140 per semester in FY2023-2024, so a student would pay $414 per semester if he or she is UAMS faculty). Students are required to pay all the fees associated with graduate studies. Details can be found on the Graduate School Tuition and Fees webpage.
Process: All applications to the SMART Program should be submitted online using the Graduate School’s Application. UAMS full time faculty with a green card will use the same link in the application.
Required Documents: Applicants will be required to complete the online application form, submit a letter of support from their department chair, and provide unofficial transcripts from previous degree programs through the online application portal. Upon the time of admission, students are required to submit official transcripts following the instructions from the Graduate School.