Training Core (I)

Brown University, Providence RI

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The mission of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) IMbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer's disease (AD) and AD- Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory is to build the nation’s capacity to conduct embedded pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs) of interventions embedded within health care systems (HCS) for people living with dementia (PLWD) and their care partners (CPs). Conducting rigorous ePCTs in this population requires investigators with cross-cutting expertise in dementia, caregiving, specific trial designs and analytic methods, and skills partnering with health care systems. Having an adequate number of investigators with this unique skillset is a rate-limiting step in achieving IMPACT’s mission. Towards that end, IMPACT’s training activities could be considered among the most impactful successes of its first five years. Highlights include running 10 national competitions that funded 24 awardees under 3 grant mechanisms, the Faculty Scholars Program that embedded 38 early to mid-career investigators into IMPACT’s various Cores for a mentored scholarly experience, and an annual 1.5-day virtual Training Workshop in ePCTs in Dementia Care that cumulatively trained over 300 investigators from 90 institutions. An expanded Training Core will lead IMPACT’s training activities in the renewal period, building on the successes of the first funding cycle and introducing innovative features. A new, more advanced annual training workshop will be introduced for mid-career investigators who are designing and writing grants for full-scale ePCTs. A new online curriculum will be created with contributions from all Cores called, “Beyond the Basics: Conducting ePCTs in Dementia Care.” While IMPACT was successful in training investigators from various disciplines, institutions, and regions in the first funding cycle, the Training Core will collaborate with the High Risk Populations and Disparities Core in establishing and operationalizing a more deliberate strategy towards that goal called, “STrategies to Reach Individuals with Dementia for Embedded pragmatic trials (STRIDE). The Core’s Specific Aims are to enhance investigator capacity by: Aim 1. By soliciting, coordinating scientific review, selecting, and funding investigators for 3 nationally competitive training grants; 1. Career Development Awards (2-year), 2. Health Care System Scholars (1-year), and 3. Real World Data Scholars (1-year); Aim 2. Coordinating key training activities across IMPACT, including training workshops, on-line video training curricula, and symposia at national meetings; and Aim 3. Providing an immersive learning experience for trainees through integration into scholarly activities of IMPACT Cores and peer and expert networking. IMPACT: Building the nation’s capacity to conduct ePCTs in PLWD and speeding the delivery of effective interventions to improve their care requires developing investigators prepared to carry on this work well into the future. Focusing on trainees from varied disciplines, institutions, and regions and with a focus on high-risk, high-need populations have the potential to improve the quality of care and outcomes for PLWD.