A. Overview and Program Purpose: The University of Chicago has an enviable record of training the next generation of academic leaders. Despite the current challenges of training future leaders with critical expertise in clinical and translational research, our CTSA program seeks to directly address structural and historical barriers to transform our University into a leader in the training of future clinical and translational researchers. We address the alarming issue of the physician-scientist as a """"""""dying breed"""""""" or """"""""endangered species"""""""" by leveraging current training programs (K30, non-Roadmap K12s, traditional T32s, K08/K23S) and creating a set of interdisciplinary training programs that blends genomic and social sciences, community-based research, medical- and bio-informatics, population studies, and translational science. This rigorous transdisciplinary scientific training will occur'across the continuum of predoctoral (high school, college, medical and graduate .schools), resident, and fellowship training and junior faculty years. We seek to train our nascent physician scientists and nonphysician health professionals to lead interdisciplinary teams that will transform the practice of medicine and optimize clinical practices in our hospital, clinics and in our South Side Chicago Community. . TO accomplish these goals, we have created a University-wide CTSA Training Cluster to implement a highly energized Training Program which is transforming and integrated. Importantly, this Program appreciates the heterogeneous nature of our pool of students, residents, fellows, and junior faculty who have variable lev-' els of prior exposure to rigorous research training but who seek to enhance translational research skills. In addition, we will provide opportunities for basic scientists without prior exposure to clinical medicine. We will shorten the time from predoctoral student/postdoctoral fellow to research-intensive faculty member and provide the flexibility in didactic training and mentorship to accommodate the variable levels of commitment to research and training time availability. The Training Cluster includes six key inter-related components that will produce highly skilled clinical and translational academic researchers. These components include: > Predoctoral Training Programs (Section C)- To generate interest in a career as a clinical researcher at a time when career aspirations are being developed (high school, undergraduate college, and medical school) and create a T32-funded graduate program for PhD and MD/PhD students. > Research Team Training for Non-Physicians, Nurses, Allied Health Professionals (Section C). > Didactic Curriculum (Section D)- A robust expanded or created curriculum, which spans outcomes research to genomic science utilizing course work and web-based learning approaches. > Pathways for Career Development of Postdoctoral Fellows and Junior Faculty (Section E)- To support clinical/translational researcher trainees or those who wish to expand their research training. > Mentorship Training and Assessment (Section F)- To assure that mentorship is effective. > Training of Under-Represented Minorities in Clinical and Translational Research (Section G> To increase the pipeline of under-represented minorities in all aspects of clinical/translational research.
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