The Department of Ophthalmology at the School of Medicine (SOM) of the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) aims to develop a fully integrated approach toward understanding the mechanisms underlying the perception of vision, the diseases and causes of vision loss, and the study of possible treatments and therapies for restoring, preserving, and maintaining vision. Over the last 15 years, the Interdisciplinary Vision Sciences (IVS) T32 Training Program has complemented this goal to develop a training program that:
1) provides Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows with interdisciplinary, cutting-edge, and broadly focused training in vision science research and its responsible and ethical conduct
2) provides Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows with thoughtful, career-specific professional development opportunities to increase their retention in the vision sciences in academia and in the biomedical workforce
3) enhances interactions, collaborations, and the overall quality of vision research among its trainees and faculty
4) provides guidance on the basics of grantsmanship and the development of specific aims for proposals