UTMB's CTSA-linked KL2 Scholars Program addresses the significant need for developing future clinical and translational (C&T) investigators, with emphases on team-based research, leadership development, and mentorship training. In our new CTSA hub, we will build on our current CTSA's successes over the past 5 years, with unique innovative integration of exceptional training approaches, including: 1) mentored career development within CTSA-supported multidisciplinary translational teams (MTTs); 2) an emphasis on individual development plans (IDPs) and pre-established C&T research competencies tailored to the needs of the individual scholar, but also emphasizing team-based competencies; 3) development of leadership competencies through participation in a new Leadership Development Academy; 4) an Academy of Research Mentors (ARM), based within our Institute for Translational Sciences (ITS), to foster mentoring and mentor training; 5) a linked Translational Research Scholars Program (TRSP), which provides an expanded peer group and a wider impact across the institution, with twice-monthly career development seminars and a focus on scholars' research; 6) development of entrepreneurial skills and leadership through participation in a UT System-funded Healthcare Entrepreneurship Program; and 7) collaboration and dissemination of program experience to other CTSA hubs in the Texas Regional CTSA Consortium, and the national CTSA Consortium. An important feature of our KL2 Scholars Program is its linked position within the continuum of career development, from graduate student training in our CTSA TL1 Training Core to the production of independently funded C&T faculty members. Our program is enhanced with by financial support from our Provost's office for scholar expenses, ITS education administrators, the ARM, and the Office of Faculty Affairs, which is focused on faculty development at UTMB. UTMB also ranks nationally in promoting diversity, which will enhance our recruitment of underrepresented minority scholars by the participation of faculty from our Hispanic Center of Excellence, and our Medical School Enrichment Program. Our KL2 Program is well-integrated with other institutional education activities, including our Human Pathophysiology and Translational Medicine graduate program, and courses targeted toward scientific writing, biostatistics, and study design. Early-career faculty as Phase 1 TRSP scholars can compete to become CTSA-supported KL2 Scholars, and with acquisition of their first mentored K-level grants (e.g., K08), advance to a Phase 2 TRSP Scholar, then focusing on the transition from mentored to independent grant funding. Upon acquisition of independent (e.g. R01) funding, scholars advance to become Phase 3 TRSP Scholars and Associate Members in the ARM, to facilitate their development of mentoring skills, and eventually to full ARM membership, with demonstrated success in C&T science mentoring. Our KL2 Scholars Program thus integrates novel team-based training, leadership, and mentoring approaches to foster the career development of future leaders in C&T research.
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