The Professional Development (PD) Core of the West Virginia Clinical & Translational Science Institute (WVCTSI) is designed to increase the number and quality of investigators, particularly clinician scientists, engaged in clinical and translational (C/T) research by providing opportunities that will build strong collaborations and promote investigator retention and success. The PD Core will develop programs that meet these goals by: 1) enhancing research mentoring initiatives throughout the state with the development of trained research mentors, 2) expanding the opportunities available in WV to recruit clinicians and students into careers as C/T scientists, and 3) proving a statewide network of educational programs highlighting new methodologies and collaboration between investigators. Due to their critically important role in improving health, clinician scientists (e.g., DDS, DNP, DO, DPT, DVM, MD, MD/PhD, PharmD, and RN) are an important target audience of the PD core. The skills learned in the training and education offerings of the PD core will bring teams together comprised of community members, clinicians, and scientific collaborators to address the state's most vexing health problems. Furthermore, promoting involvement of C/T investigators in scientific teams increases the likelihood of their success and increases retention of clinician scientists who often struggle to meet requirements of both clinical practice and a research career. Building on our success during Years 1-5, this renewal application seeks to develop strategies to retain investigators with diverse expertise, providing opportunities that will build strong collaborations, and promote investigator success. These broad goals will be accomplished by execution of the following specific aims: 1) create the Scientific and Career Success (SACS) program to provide access to formal mentoring for C/T researchers of all career stages, 2) develop formal programs that serve as ?on-ramps? to introduce C/T research to early or new investigators and trainees at different career stages, and 3) develop educational opportunities to support and retain externally-funded C/T researchers statewide.
From Aim 1, SACS engages highly skilled mentors, trained using the National Research Mentoring Program approach and a defined timeline of activities to help investigators at all career stages to develop funded and productive research careers.
Aim 2 addresses the need to continue to exploit novel ?on-ramps? to encourage more clinical investigators to enter C/T research. Supporting both the SACS program and investigators new to C/T research, Aim 3 will provide targeted education programs for interested researchers.
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