Cochlear Center Hearing & Aging Mentoring Program (CHAMP)
About CHAMP
The Summer Cochlear Center Hearing & Aging Mentoring Program (Summer CHAMP) is an intensive, one-week virtual program designed for pre-doctoral audiology, medical, or public health doctoral students to gain a foundation in concepts and methods that will lead to research careers addressing hearing loss, aging, and public health.
Who can apply to be a CHAMP?
The CHAMP program is designed for:
- Current pre-doctoral audiology, medical, or public health doctoral students
- Students interested in learning and applying public health research methods
- Students pursuing a research career that addresses hearing loss with aging and public health
***Does this sound interesting but you're not looking for a research career? See below.
CHAMP Details
Students will begin the program with a 1-day intensive summer course, Epidemiologic Approaches to Hearing Loss and Public Health (340.690.79), which includes didactic lectures covering epidemiology, biostatistics, clinical trials, gerontology, and intervention concepts in hearing loss. The rest of the week-long program will include additional didactic lectures, seminars and journal clubs with Cochlear Center faculty. During the entirety of the program, students will work in cross-disciplinary teams under the mentorship of Cochlear Center faculty to produce a final research project. Presentation of summer projects at a national conference is highly encouraged (travel funding may be available).
CHAMP Funding
If selected as a CHAMP, students will receive complimentary tuition for required didactic coursework and there is no cost to participate.
How to Apply to CHAMP
CHAMP candidates must submit the requested documents through this program application link by the application deadline.
Required CHAMP application materials:
- Curriculum Vitae
- Personal Statement (2-page max) including interest in hearing loss and public health and what you hope to gain from the program.
- One letter of support from an academic mentor, research mentor, program director, or Department Chair.
*** Students who are simply interested in an introduction to public health, aging and hearing loss:
Please consider registering for the one-day course, Epidemiologic Approaches to Hearing Loss and Public Health, offered through the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
This introductory course is designed for:
- Students currently enrolled in or with a completed graduate or clinical degree
- Students with an interest in hearing loss and public health
- Students wishing to understand and interpret public health research related to hearing loss and aging
Please find and review the registration procedures, tuition information, and further information about the course. CEU’s available through the American Academy of Audiology (non-credit tuition option). All eligible applicants accepted.
CHAMP Co-Directors:
Assistant Professor | Departments of Epidemiology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Associate Director for Academic Training | Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health
Assistant Professor | Departments of Epidemiology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Core Faculty | Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health

Program Flyer
How to Apply
Submit the following required application materials through the APPLICATION LINK:
- Curriculum Vitae
- Personal Statement (2-page max)
- One letter of support from academic mentor, research mentor, program director, or Department Chair
Important Dates:
- Application Period Opens:
February 15, 2022
- Application Deadline:
March 15, 2022, 11:59pm ET
- Applicants Notified by:
April 15, 2022
- Program Dates::
June 25 - July 1, 2022
Contact
Contact Shannon Smitherman with questions about submission procedures at 443-287-7779 or JHSPHCochlearCenter@jh.edu