NUCATS CTSA K12 Program at Northwestern University

Leveraging our experience as a KL2 program, we submit this Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS) K12 application in conjunction with the NUCATS UM1, T32, and R25 applications. Through a needs assessment, brainstorming sessions, and interviews, we identified key

challenges – translational science (TS) competency training that is a foundation for life-long learning and high impact research; advancing a culture of inclusive excellence – and solutions, training innovations which we have started to implement in our KL2 and will expand in the proposed K12. Our overarching goal is to train and

nurture diverse clinical and translational scientists to be resilient leaders of high-functioning, interdisciplinary teams, leaders who are well positioned to tackle translational roadblocks and procure external funding, and who employ implementation science (IS) principles and partner with affected/interested groups and end-users.

We propose the following specific aims: Aim 1) Provide K12 structure including communication, advisory support, oversight, and integration with the UM1 and T32 and other institutional training programs, to optimize effectiveness and efficiency of operations; Aim 2) Model interdisciplinary collaboration through diverse and

dedicated Program Faculty to help fill gaps in Scholar mentoring and require all faculty to complete 1 of 2 offered options of mentor training; Aim 3) Promote diversity of applicants through (a) outreach, including to, as stated in NIH NOT-OD-20-031, “underrepresented populations in the U.S. biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and

social sciences research enterprise” based on race, ethnicity, disadvantaged background, and disability, and (b) K12 application support; Aim 4) Build an ESI Academy, an inclusive near-peer community of K12 Scholars and any K- or R-aspirer, including ESI Academy Socials and a seminar series with core and elective content

for the Scholars; Aim 5) Personalize Scholar training using (a) a baseline assessment of TS and translational research competencies, (b) identification of the desired mastery level for each competency, and (c) an individualized training roadmap, using a novel tool – which we call COMPASS (Competency Assessment and

Pathway Development) – to prioritize and monitor proficiency development; Aim 6) Provide enhanced approaches such as: (a) an active learner model with Scholars as PI of their training roadmap, (b) training that is non-siloed, i.e., delivered by cross-disciplinary mentors, (c) hybrid and online delivery, archived for efficient

and timely Scholar use, and (d) leadership training including seminars and coaching; Aim 7) Evaluate the K12 Program using continuous improvement evaluation cycles to: (a) help to ensure that we are at the forefront of best practices and to position us to innovate, and (b) assess outcomes, using a priori designated metrics; Aim

8) Disseminate best practices and knowledge gains to our institution, the other Chicagoland CTSAs, the larger Chicagoland community, and the national CTSA consortium, including through a digital repository open to all and discoverable, hosted by NUCATS and the Galter Health Sciences Library.