National MS Society Rehabilitation Research Postdoctoral Fellowship

The University of Michigan (U-M) has a long history in rehabilitation research and a growing collaborative program of multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical research. We have one mentor-based rehabilitation research fellowship position available to train with Dr. Anna Kratz and her team of collaborators in the Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and Neurology at U-M.

The fellowship’s objective is to train new investigators to become successful independent researchers in the field of MS rehabilitation research. Prior experience with MS is not required; the fellowship provides MS-specific training and we are interested in working with individuals who can bring new perspectives to the field of rehabilitation research in MS.

What is the rehabilitation research fellowship like?

Fellowship focus areas

The fellowship prioritizes rigorous training in research methods and focuses on conducting work that is theoretically-driven and clinically-relevant. The overarching focus of Dr. Kratz’s research is on symptoms and symptom management; specifically, on the intersection of chronic pain, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction. See Dr. Kratz's lab website for more details.

Opportunities for specific training in the following areas are available:

Ambulatory assessment techniques (e.g. ecological momentary assessment, actigraphy, ambulatory cognitive testing)
Physical activity (as it relates to symptoms and functioning)
Sleep (as it relates to symptoms and functioning)
Qualitative research methods
Intervention development and clinical trials
Measurement development

Fellowship activities

This fellowship offers an immersive research training experience with two main components:

Conducting mentored rehabilitation research, focused on building a broad base of research competencies in areas such as writing manuscripts, oral presentations, grantsmanship, research methods, and professional development.
Participating in didactic training experiences (e.g., journal clubs, seminars, workshops) offered through Michigan Medicine, various U-M institutes and research centers, U-M Department of Neurology, and the U-M Department of PM&R postdoctoral training program.

Fellowship start and end dates are flexible. Trainees will be encouraged to complete a two-year fellowship to allow sufficient time to develop an area of MS rehabilitation research expertise, although applicants interested in only one year will also be considered.

Fellowship stipend and benefits

Salary is based on the NMSS Fellowship Stipend Scale and includes university benefits.

Who should apply?

Applicants from various disciplines will be considered. This includes, but is not limited to those with backgrounds in: psychology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and kinesiology. Psychology applicants must have a psychology doctoral degrees from an APA accredited program to be considered.

Applicants must have an interest in a research career.

Experience with MS is not a prerequisite; we hope to recruit talented trainees to the burgeoning and opportunity-rich area of MS rehabilitation research.

How to apply

If you have questions or would like to apply for this fellowship, please contact Dr. Anna Kratz by emailing [email protected]. When applying, please include a cover letter describing your interest in this line of research and career goals, as well as your CV. Writing samples are optional, but highly desirable.

Applications will be reviewed immediately and on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.