DOVS News Research

Interdisciplinary Training in Vision Science (ITVS) Pathway Call for Applications 2025

Shiming Chen, PhD, Dr. Bernard and Janet R. Becker Distinguished Professor, talks with MD student Isabella Gomes, who is taking a year for research in the Ophthalmology lab on November 15, 2024. Matt Miller/WashU Medicine

Now accepting applications for the Interdisciplinary Training in Vision Science (ITVS) Pathway

What is the ITVS Pathway?

The Interdisciplinary Training in Vision Science (ITVS) Pathway is a 2-year training program that is layered above traditional PhD programs to continue to combine theory and practice, build professional skills, and expand mentoring opportunities into years 3 and 4 of the PhD.

Why Join the ITVS Pathway?


Funding Opportunities
  • Up to 2 years of T32 funding support for 4 eligible students
  • Eligibility to compete for the annual Winston Fellow Award
Professional Development
  • Select, host, and network with the annual ITVS student-invited speaker
  • Present and receive feedback at the joint DOVS/ITVS research retreat
Grant Writing Support
  • Develop grant application materials and receive feedback from faculty and peers
  • Access to departmental resources to polish and submit grants
Shadowing Opportunities
  • Observe DOVS physician-scientists in the clinic
  • Learn new techniques through hands-on demonstrations

Submit Your Application

Eligible students will be considered for up to 2 years of T32 funding support.

Application deadline: Friday, June 20, 2025

Questions? Contact Jenna Krizan krizanj@wustl.edu.


About WashU Medicine

WashU Medicine is a global leader in academic medicine, including biomedical research, patient care and educational programs with 2,900 faculty. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding portfolio is the second largest among U.S. medical schools and has grown 56% in the last seven years. Together with institutional investment, WashU Medicine commits well over $1 billion annually to basic and clinical research innovation and training. Its faculty practice is consistently within the top five in the country, with more than 1,900 faculty physicians practicing at 130 locations and who are also the medical staffs of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals of BJC HealthCare. WashU Medicine has a storied history in MD/PhD training, recently dedicated $100 million to scholarships and curriculum renewal for its medical students, and is home to top-notch training programs in every medical subspecialty as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and audiology and communications sciences.