A predoc, short for predoctoral, refers to someone who hasn’t yet earned a doctoral degree but is actively preparing for or working toward one. In practice, the term covers two distinct roles: full-time research positions designed to launch people into PhD programs, and fellowship or training stages for students already enrolled in doctoral programs. Which meaning applies depends on the field you’re in.
The Two Main Types of Predocs
In economics, political science, and business, “predoc” almost always means a paid, full-time research position. These are recent college graduates or early-career professionals who work alongside faculty for one to two years before applying to PhD programs. They aren’t enrolled in a doctoral program yet. The role is essentially a bridge between undergraduate education and a PhD.
In biomedical sciences and psychology, “predoctoral” typically describes someone who is already a doctoral student. A predoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health, for example, is a student enrolled in a doctoral program conducting dissertation research as part of their training. A predoctoral intern in clinical psychology is completing the supervised clinical hours required before graduation. Same word, very different career stage.
Full-Time Predoc Research Positions
The full-time predoc role has exploded in popularity over the past decade, particularly in economics and the social sciences. Harvard Business School describes its predoctoral research associates as recent graduates “interested in exploring and refining their research skills in preparation for a doctoral program.” Stanford GSB runs a similar program where fellows assist faculty with research and take graduate-level coursework over two years.
These positions typically last one to two years. You work closely with a professor on empirical research, handling data analysis, literature reviews, and sometimes contributing to papers directly. A posting for MIT health economist Amy Finkelstein, for instance, specifies a two-year commitment working on projects related to healthcare spending, health policy design, and population health. The job descriptions emphasize enthusiasm for empirical research, the ability to learn new methods quickly, and long-term interest in pursuing a PhD.
The appeal is straightforward: you get hands-on research experience, a strong recommendation letter from a faculty mentor, and a much clearer sense of whether a PhD is right for you. Some predocs even coauthor published papers with their faculty advisors, which is unusual for someone without a graduate degree. Stanford’s program has placed 17 of its roughly 26 former fellows into PhD programs, and faculty demand for research support has pushed recent cohorts to 20 fellows per year.
As Stanford’s program directors put it, predocs have become “a kind of competitive advantage in cutthroat PhD admissions.” The combination of research experience, graduate-level coursework, and a faculty recommendation from a well-known researcher can transform a PhD application.
Predoctoral Fellowships in the Sciences
In biomedical and clinical fields, predoctoral fellowships support students who are already pursuing their doctorate. The NIH defines its predoctoral training awards as providing “practical research training and experience to students enrolled in doctoral degree programs in biomedical sciences,” often involving dissertation research planned in coordination between the NIH and the student’s university.
The NIH funds predoctoral students through individual fellowships (F30 and F31 grants) and institutional training grants. For fiscal year 2025, the predoctoral stipend is $28,788 per year, or about $2,399 per month. On top of that, the NIH covers 60% of actual tuition up to $16,000 annually (or $21,000 for combined degree programs like MD/PhD), plus an institutional allowance of $4,750 that can go toward health insurance and other training costs. These aren’t lavish sums, but they allow students to focus on research without taking on teaching loads or outside jobs.
Predoctoral Internships in Psychology
Clinical and counseling psychology programs require a predoctoral internship before you can graduate with your doctorate. This is a full-time, supervised clinical placement lasting at least 12 months. The Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) requires that at least 25% of your time be spent in direct, face-to-face psychological services with clients. Total hour requirements vary by state, ranging from roughly 1,500 to 2,000 hours, with some states setting no specific minimum.
This internship is a formal training requirement, not an optional career booster. You apply through a centralized matching system, and placements are competitive. It’s fundamentally different from an economics predoc in that you’re completing a mandatory stage of your doctoral education rather than preparing to apply.
How Predocs Differ From Similar Roles
The landscape of early-career research positions can be confusing. Here’s how predocs compare to the roles most often mistaken for them:
- Post-baccalaureate fellow: Also a position for recent graduates, but focused on introducing people to research rather than preparing them specifically for a PhD. At the NIH, post-bac fellows must have received their bachelor’s degree within the past three years and typically plan to apply to graduate or professional school. The work is similar to a predoc position, but the framing is broader and the expectation of PhD pursuit is less explicit.
- Research assistant: A general job title that can describe anything from an undergraduate lab helper to a senior staff member. Predoc positions in economics are technically research assistant roles, but with a structured mentorship component, a defined timeline, and an explicit goal of PhD preparation. A generic RA position rarely carries the same level of faculty investment.
- Postdoctoral researcher: Someone who has already completed their doctorate and is gaining additional research experience. This is the stage after a predoc, and postdocs at the NIH can hold the position for up to five years after receiving their doctoral degree.
Who Should Consider a Predoc Position
Full-time predoc research roles are best suited for people who are fairly confident they want a PhD but need stronger preparation. Maybe your undergraduate institution didn’t offer much research experience, or you want to test whether a specific field holds your interest for five or more years of graduate study. Stanford’s program was designed in part to diversify the pipeline into PhD programs by giving students from less research-intensive backgrounds the mentorship and skills they’d otherwise lack.
The technical bar for these positions is real. Listings in economics and related fields commonly expect proficiency in statistical software like Stata, R, or Python, along with strong quantitative skills. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement, typically in economics, math, statistics, or a related field. Some positions prefer or require a master’s degree.
If you’re already enrolled in a doctoral program, predoctoral fellowships and internships are part of your training path rather than something you apply to separately. Your program advisor and department will help you navigate those requirements.