Program Milestones
The Center for Translational Science Activities (CTSA) Postdoctoral Programs Committee tracks your progress toward successfully completing the Postdoctoral Certificate Program. Please submit all required items electronically to your CTSA program education specialist.
Milestone 1: Research proposal and supporting documents
The deadline for your research proposal and supporting documents is based on your academic cycle listed below. Note that the proposal due date is based on completing the program within one year of beginning your course work. Early proposals are always encouraged. Read more about research proposal and manuscript requirements.
| Application deadline |
Begin course work |
Proposal due |
Completion date |
| March 1 |
July 1 |
Jan. 1 |
June 30 |
| Sept. 1 |
Jan. 1 |
July 1 |
Dec. 31 |
Milestone 2: "Writing for Biomedical Publication" workshop
Scholars are required to attend the "Writing for Biomedical Publication" workshop, which is offered once each year in March.
Milestone 3: Didactic course work
The Postdoctoral Certificate Program requires 12 credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Read more about the certificate program's curriculum, including required and elective courses.
Note: Scholars admitted to the Postdoctoral Certificate Program are given priority for registration in CTSC classes. Nonadmitted attendees are allowed to register on a space-available basis.
Milestone 4: Manuscript and mentor summary statement
The research you conduct as part of the Postdoctoral Certificate Program will result in a publication-ready manuscript. You are required to cite the CTSA grant in the "acknowledgements" section of your manuscript. Read more about manuscript requirements.
After you complete your manuscript, ask your mentor to prepare a summary statement verifying that:
- The research was conducted by you (the scholar) and is scientifically sound
- The manuscript is accurate and clearly written
- You (the scholar) are the primary author of the manuscript
Milestone 5: Program completion
Before your certificate is awarded, these items must be completed:
- All necessary course work with a satisfactory GPA
- Your manuscript, mentor summary statement and curriculum vitae
- A program evaluation questionnaire
After program completion
Each year, you will be asked to submit your curriculum vitae, which will enable the CTSA to document your career progress through publications, grant support, academic rank and other accomplishments for the purpose of outcomes reporting to the National Institutes of Health.
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