Summer Research Institute in Geriatric Mental Health

Bruce, Martha

Abstract

This application responds to PAR-08-079 """"""""NIMH Research Education Grants (R25)"""""""" and is a competitive renewal of the """"""""Summer Research Institute (SRI) in Geriatric Mental Health"""""""". SRI is a national program with the goal of promoting the career advancement of talented post- residency (MD or DO) and post-doctoral (PhD, PsyD, or PharmD) fellows and other early stage investigators who hold promise for a research career in geriatric mental health translational, interventions or services research. SRI targets the successful transition of trainees into investigators, a period of vulnerability when many promising researchers are lost to NIH and potential high impact research is delayed or abandoned. SRI's primary aim is to host an annual, five day research career development institute for 24-28 trainees that combines seminars with one-on-one and group mentoring to: 1. increase trainees'knowledge of research career development strategy and skills;2. provide individualized guidance on research designs and career strategy;and 3. promote the development of effective, collaborative relationships. The secondary aim is to support a web-based, career development infrastructure to facilitate ongoing, off-site mentoring, professional networking and information exchange. Objective indicators of program outcomes include evidence of: 1. career research funding (e.g., federally-funded career development awards or early stage research grants), and 2. career progression (e.g., appointments and promotion in academia). SRI is led by senior and midcareer investigators committed to the program who volunteer their time annually. With approval of NIMH Program Officers, this competitive renewal application is being submitted from the Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry, representing a formal relocation of the SRI program management and directors from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). This change is made because of faculty changes at UCSD, and reflects a unanimous decision by SRI Executive Committee and has its strong support Our future capacity to reduce the burden of late-life mental illnesses rests on the successful development of tomorrow's scientific leaders. To that end, SRI's uses proven and innovative strategies to promote the careers of new generations of investigators who are committed to translational, interventions, and services research on old-age mental health and illness.

Public Health Relevance

PROJECT NARRATIVE The Summer Research Institute in Geriatric Mental Health sponsors an annual 5-Day research career development institute for a competitively selected set of 24-28 postdoctoral trainees that combines educational seminars with one-on-one and group mentoring. The Institute is led by leading researchers who volunteer their time annually to promote the careers of new generations of talented investigators who are committed to research that will reduce the burden of late life mental illness.