Students completing the PhD program will have outstanding preparation to compete for the most prestigious positions within their disciplines.
Exceptional students with substantial experience prior to completion of the PhD may be prepared to begin faculty or other research-oriented positions immediately upon completion of their dissertation. For optimal success in rigorous settings, however, a post-doctoral fellowship is advisable after completion of the PhD. A post-doctoral fellowship allows the graduate to complete the process of publishing their dissertation research and work as a full-time researcher with a faculty mentor (typically not their dissertation advisor). The objective of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the graduate time to develop a line of independent investigation to launch their career so that upon accepting a position, the graduate's area of scholarship is defined and the individual is well on their way to securing substantial extramural funding to launch an original research program.
Graduates will have an opportunity to develop extensive teaching skills while in the program, preparing them to succeed in this demanding aspect of the academic career. With this combination of pedagogical skill and investigational accomplishment, graduates of this program can expect to be highly sought by the nation's top academic programs in their discipline. Other potential career paths would be leadership positions in professional organizations, scientific societies, government, industry, or granting agencies.
Examples of our PhD program’s success include
- Multiple post-doctoral fellowships (Veterans Affairs, Medical University of South Carolina, Advanced Patient Safety Fellow)
- Interprofessional focus on academia: 80% of graduates continue in academic careers. Faculty positions at universities across the world include – Case Western, University of Alabama, University of Delaware, UNC School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, OSU’s Nisonger Center, Johns Hopkins University and Kennedy Krieger Institute, University of Southern California, University of South Florida, University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Highly successful career development resources: 100% Job Placement Success. Positions in healthcare and industry - Systems Director for Ohio Health, Biomechanist for professional sports teams, Assistive and Pervasive Technology Researcher for Universite’ Laval in Quebec Canada
- 100% financial support for students. Successful funding while in the PhD program including: Presidential Fellowship awards, NIH F30 awards, Provost’s Award for Distinguished Teaching, NIH TL1 Mentored Training Program Predoctoral Fellowship awards.