University of Florida NRSA (TL1) Training Core The goal of the University of Florida Clinical & Translational Science Institute (CTSI) TL1 Program is to train interdisciplinary predoctoral PhD and dual degree translational researchers. We will take advantage of having six health science center colleges and five other colleges with health-related programs on one campus to transform learning via collaboration and team science, with the following specific objectives: 1. Expand an innovative CTS curriculum, mentored research, and career and professional development programs to optimize effective learning of CTS core competencies; 2. Develop a team-based model for research training of TL1 Teams supported by TL1 Mentor Teams; 3. Recruit and retain diverse TL1 Trainees who can leverage diversity to accomplish team goals; 4. Evaluate training with competency-based assessment and a range of innovative metrics; and 5. Support the establishment of national CTSA networks for training in all health professions. The CTSI sponsors a certificate program and PhD co-major in CTS for students in 36 partner PhD programs and two professional dual degree programs in 11 colleges. New CTS curriculum features include new courses in team science and leadership development, team-based learning methods, and an extensive professional and career development program. Career Interest Teams will provide supplemental learning to explore translational research career pathways within and beyond academia. Professional development will emphasize communication, leadership, research management, and teaching. Mentor development programs will include best practices in interdisciplinary mentoring and mentor-mentee communication. A robust competency-based assessment program will use both traditional and nontraditional metrics based on a conceptual model of CTS career training, and results will be used to inform the science of team science behind effective CTS training. Trainees will be immersed in team science via several novel features of the CTSI TL1 Program, including: funding of TL1 Teams of 2-3 students from different partner PhD programs, rather than individual students; an expectation of collaborative research among TL1 Team members, and requirement for joint publication; inductive and alteration approaches to TL1 team formation, using social network analysis to pre-identify potentially optimal teams; and team mentoring rather than just dual mentoring by basic and clinical scientists. Eligible students will apply for TL1 funding typically at the end of their second year of PhD training, with up to two years of TL1 support, pending satisfactory progress. The combined training grant budget and institutional funds will support three new TL1 teams each year, with a total of 14 TL1 Trainees per year. In collaboration with the KL2 program, we will organize national networks for translational research training in health professions beyond medicine and public health, to provide TL1 Trainees and KL2 Scholars at other institutions with access to curricula, mentored research, career development, and multicenter research studies.
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