While the academy excels in training scientists to conduct research, there is usually little opportunity for trainees to learn and practice the professional skills that are essential to progressing and thriving in biomedical research careers. To address this gap, The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), with IPERT support, developed The Whole Scientist (TWS) program, which provides graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with professional skills training to enhance their effectiveness and improve their success as members of the biomedical workforce. TWS incorporates classroom learning with applied practica to help trainees develop aptitude and confidence in these skills. Previous offerings of TWS were well received. We are now ready to increase the capacity and reach of this program. We will build on the previous TWS successes to broaden our curriculum using a novel thematic approach to skill development, and to expand our geographic footprint by implementing TWS at institutions across the nation. We will translate in-person TWS content into freely available online microcontent, for use in stand-alone professional skills training, integration into graduate coursework, or self-directed learning. TWS microcontent will facilitate implementation of TWS programming nationally, which will be enhanced by partnering with five geographically dispersed institutions ? one in each year of the grant. At these partner institutions, we will provide ?train-the- trainer? workshops for faculty and staff to support integration of TWS into their training curricula. The strategic partner institutions will themselves become hubs for further dissemination of the curriculum and trainer training. The TWS curriculum?s effectiveness at instilling professional skills and its impact on participants? subsequent careers will be evaluated at defined intervals. Feedback from participants and an advisory committee will continue to guide further development of the program. Combined with formal and informal feedback from ?train- the-trainer? participants, we envision an adaptable and scalable training program that can be tailored to the interests and needs of diverse graduate and/or postdoctoral scientists.
The biomedical research landscape is changing rapidly, becoming increasingly cross-disciplinary and team- oriented, and broadening its presence beyond the academy. The goal of the proposed renewal is to expand and distribute our successful profession development program, The Whole Scientist, to reach a broader audience. By delivering the program?s benefits to trainees more broadly, we anticipate a diverse scientific workforce that is prepared for the demands of the modern biomedical research landscape. This, in turn, will further strengthen productivity and innovation in both the public and private science and technology sectors and ensure the US remains a leader in biomedical discovery for the benefit of human health.
