The Mentored Research Investigator Training Program is designed to assist pharmacists with developing the abilities necessary to conduct investigator-initiated research, either independently as a principal investigator or as an active co-investigator within a research team. The MeRIT Program is perfect for candidates who are pharmacy faculty or practitioners with limited research experience who:
- are committed to incorporating research into their professional careers,
- want to generate research themes or obtaining preliminary data for larger funding opportunities,
- wish to be active principal or co-investigators within a research team, and
- can commit at least 10% effort to research.
MeRIT is a 2-year longitudinal program that uses a combination of live and virtual teaching and mentoring methods to provide trainees with the support and education they need throughout the research experience (i.e. from idea to publication). The next cohort of investigators will begin the program June 1 - June 5 at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy .
Informational Conference Calls
- Thursday, January 22, 2026: 3:00–3:30 p.m. (ET)
- Wednesday, February 11, 2026: 1:00–1:30 p.m. (ET)
Contact Sheldon Holstad ([email protected]) for videoconference information.
2026 Due Dates:
- February 28, 2026 - Letter of Intent to attend due (instructions in application)
- March 31, 2026 - Full applications due
2026 MeRIT Brochure
2026 MeRIT Application
Past MeRIT Participants