Research training begins during the second year of the program. The fellow selects a faculty mentor during the first year who assumes responsibility for guiding research training. Mentoring faculty may be selected from the clinical, translational or basic science research faculty. Research opportunities are plentiful. Examples of possible areas of focus include molecular virology and microbiology, HIV/AIDS, molecular epidemiology, and emerging infectious diseases. Fellows are encouraged to deepen their knowledge in their chosen field of research by enrolling in coursework at the University of Pittsburgh related to their research interests. These courses may be selected from the following areas:
A fellow's progress during research training is monitored by the mentor and every six months, a presentation is made to the ID faculty, followed by a review from the Division Chief and the ID faculty fellowship committee.