Mountain States Advancement in Research, Supportive Networking and Career Development (ASCEND)

University Of Colorado Denver, Aurora CO

Investigators

Abstract

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORE – PROJECT SUMMARY The mission of the ASCEND Professional Development Core is to help predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees (Ph.D. and M.D.) acquire the skills and experiences needed to successfully transition into their careers in KUH research. Trainees will deepen and expand their professional skill sets to enhance their current role, equip them to become independent KUH research scientists, and broaden their career horizons. Our program at the University of Colorado (CU) and University of Utah (UU) is designed to promote individualized training to facilitate each trainee’s professional development to encourage trainees to take ownership of their career and identify opportunities to work towards their specific career goals. In the ASCEND program, we will strive to supplement our world-class research training with world-class “non-bench” training, making our trainees highly sought after for KUH scientific positions. James Hotaling, MD (UU Urology) will serve as Core Director and Mary Weiser-Evans, PhD (CU Nephrology) will serve as Co-Director. Dr. Hotaling is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Associate Vice President for Research Innovation and Translation. He has been a significant driver in reshaping research training within Urology at UU. Dr. Weiser-Evans is a Professor of Medicine and Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Medicine at CU. She has significant experience as an educator and in the development and leadership of training programs. She is also a Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) Principal Facilitator and will play a critical role in implementing ASCEND mentor training. We propose the following aims: 1) Provide a structured curriculum that provides support, guidance, and protected time for trainees to engage in professional development. We will implement a cohort-based structured program that will be composed of dedicated didactics, workshops, cross-disciplinary seminars, and online resources; 2) Promote active trainee engagement in professional career development to enhance skill development, career exploration, satisfaction, and planning to become an independent KUH researcher. All trainees will complete Individual Development Plans annually. Trainees will meet monthly with their mentoring team and will meet yearly with a career counselor to refine career goals; 3) Equip faculty mentors and trainees with the skills to develop meaningful and productive mentoring relationships to ensure successful career development and transitions of trainees. In collaboration with the TL1 Training Core and the Network Core, we will develop the ASCEND Co-mentoring program to address the specific needs of faculty mentors and trainees. Successful completion of our aims will allow trainees to be better prepared to navigate their research careers as the research workforce grows and the career landscape changes as well as become better KUH leaders, managers, and mentors, independent of their research setting.