Below are answers to common questions about the application process, inspired and borrowed from Dr. Sophia Choukas-Bradley and Dr. Rebecca Reed. Please also see information about the application process for Pitt Psychology.
Are you accepting applications?
Yes, I’ll be accepting applications as a primary mentor for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle.
Listing a mentor: When applying to Psychology PhD programs at Pitt, prospective students apply to work with a specific faculty member as their advisor. If you’re interested in working in my lab and would like me to review your application, please list my name as a mentor of interest on your application.
Applying to a specific program: You will also specify one or more programs you’re applying to. One of the many exciting benefits of graduate training at Pitt is the opportunity to pursue a PhD across more than one area of Psychology. My primary affiliation is with Pitt’s Biological & Health Psychology area. I will also consider students who wish to get joint training in both Clinical and Health Psychology (the Clinical-Health joint program). You may also create an individualized joint program; I have training in Social Psychology and it would be possible to create a joint Bio-Health and Social Psychology individualized PhD. Please apply to the Biological & Health program as your primary program.
What are you looking for in a prospective student? How do you make admissions decisions?
I am looking for students who (1) are a good fit with the research and training I can offer in my lab, and (2) demonstrate readiness to pursue a PhD.
Research fit: Strong applicants are passionate about the mechanisms of mind-body interventions that influence health. Students with interests in psychological mechanisms (e.g., acceptance and equanimity) and biological mechanisms (e.g., physiological stress reactivity, functional immune pathways) linking mind-body interventions with health risk in a variety of populations (e.g., stressed adults, adults exposed to adversity in early life, stress-related disease populations) are welcome to apply. Students will be able to answer questions using data from existing trials (e.g., Remote Mindfulness Training following Early Life Adversity, Mechanisms of Mindfulness and Stress Resilience, Mindfulness App Training for Cardiovascular Health, Stress Management Training for Healthy Aging), add measures to new trials, and/or collect their own data to test original hypotheses.
Qualifications of applicants: Strong applicants have a strong academic record, typically have completed prior coursework in health psychology and biology, and have gained at least one year of research experience in health psychology or a related field, ideally including post-baccalaureate and independent research experience (e.g., through an honors thesis, poster presentation, and/or publication experience). Applicants should also have prior training and experience with quantitative methods skills (e.g., data management and data analysis).
Can we meet by phone/Zoom before I submit my application?
No, I will not be scheduling phone/Zoom meetings with applicants prior to December 1 out of fairness to all applicants. If you are invited for an interview, you will have lots of time to meet with me and with graduate students in the program to discussion your questions about the lab, my mentorship, Pitt, and Pittsburgh.
Should I email you to let you know I’m applying to your lab?
No, it is not necessary to email me before applying. Whether or not you email me will have no bearing on your ultimate chances of admission; I will carefully review any applications that list me as a potential mentor on official applications submitted through Pitt. However, if you have very specific questions that are not addressed on my website or Pitt’s website, then you can email me.
What is research training like in your lab?
Research training in my lab is hands-on. Students will be involved in active data collection (e.g., running study visits with participants, developing intervention and assessment materials, working with biological samples in the wet lab, etc.) and in data management and analyses (e.g., coding and analyzing data). In addition, students learn about all aspects of the research process and have opportunities to develop their own studies, to be involved in my ongoing work, and to analyze and write up results for presentations and publications. The goal of the training I offer is to foster the development of independent research scientists. Thus, I am looking for someone who has a vision of contributing to our understanding of how mind-body interventions may mitigate health risk.
What does the application timeline look like?
Applications are due December 1. For applicants invited to interview, Pitt’s virtual recruiting weekend will be held likely sometime in January 2025. After interviews, students recommended for a position in the program may be invited to an in-person recruiting event held in February 2025.
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