CTSI K-Scholars Program

Joining the CTSI K Scholars Program
with an Outside Career Development Award

Overview

The UCSF Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) K Scholar Program provides clinical and translational research training and mentored support to individuals with career development awards at UCSF, including those from NIH (e.g.,K23, K01, K08, K12, K99/R00) and other organizations (e.g., VA, AHA). Enrollment in this program provides a supportive environment, weekly works-in-progress and methodology seminars, as well as access to core faculty who provide expertise and guidance in research methods, biostatistical analysis, manuscript and grant writing and career advisement.

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Goal

The goal is to increase the number and quality of outstanding clinical investigators skilled at leading multidisciplinary research teams. The overarching goal is to promote clinical and translational investigation that will have an important impact on the health of the public.

Eligibility

Recipient of a K-type Award. Candidates must be members of the UCSF faculty as of July 1, 2013, and they must hold a K23 or similar career development award that supports 75% effort for training and research and has at least 3 remaining years of funding.

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Program Requirements

• Didactic Training in Clinical and Translational Research. Formal training in a rigorous and comprehensive clinical research program is imperative for establishing independence as a clinical investigator and a secondary degree in a clinical research-related field is an important attribute. The training requirement will normally be met by enrolling in our 2-year Master of Advanced Study in Clinical Research Degree, or equivalent. Under some circumstances, such as when the Scholar already has an MPH, the 1-year ATCR Certificate program may be a suitable alternative. Scholars who already have two years of advanced training in clinical research may take individual courses to complete gaps in or update previous training. Tuition will be paid for from the K scholar's funds.

• Commitment to Regular Attendance at Friday Morning Seminars. Scholars play a key role in providing critical feedback to their colleagues. Absences should be minimized to those required for vacation, illness, and scientific meetings.

• Payment. CTSI K Scholars will need to pay $3000 per year to participate in the program. Scholars may use funds from their K awards to pay this fee. This fee covers access to core faculty time for consultation in research design, biostatistical analysis, manuscript and grant writing and career advisement, which would cost substantially more to individuals outside the CTSI K program. We recommend that individuals writing new K grants include this fee in their K grant budgets. Note that this fee is in addition to any TICR course or program fees.

• Teaching. CTSI K Scholars are expected to teach clinical and translational science methods at UCSF. Scholars will be asked at least once during their tenure in the K Program to provide teaching assistance in a CTSI/TICR-sponsored course. We have designed this expectation to respond to the growing campus need for what we teach and to add a relevant element to your career development--there is no better way to enhance expertise than by teaching!

• Duration of Commitment. Initially 1 year, renewable annually for a total of 2-3 years.

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Key Program Elements

• Clinical Research Facility Scholars will be in residence on Friday mornings with access to space and to the wireless network at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Clinical Research Facility at 185 Berry St, China Basin Landing, San Francisco. Scholars may occupy a "hotel" cubicle or office for the days they wish to work at the facility. Having functional space and dedicated personnel for the Scholars embedded in a much larger set of clinical research activities and support technologies is an important strength of the CTSI K Program, one that will optimize the scholars' acquisition of skills in research methodology and ability to build and lead interdisciplinary teams. Core faculty will also be in residence on Fridays to make it easy for scholars to discuss issues regarding their research with faculty or arrange meetings if desired.

• Weekly Works-in-Progress Seminar: Fridays 9-10:45 AM. This serves as the core conference attended by the K-scholars, in groups of 10, with 2 experienced clinical research faculty: an epidemiologist and a biostatistician. Scholars present and discuss their research works-in-progress each week in a supportive and constructive environment, considering study and grant ideas and designs, implementation issues, analytical quandaries, research results, and drafts of grant applications and manuscripts. The work of two scholars is reviewed each week in the first year, with each scholar presenting about every 5-6 weeks. The frequency of works-in-progress meetings declines in subsequent years.

• Weekly Methodology Seminars: Fridays 11:00 AM-12:00 PM. These seminars, on a wide variety of topics relevant to research methods and career development, are given by faculty and advanced scholars of the CTSI KL2 Program, as well as invited speakers from UCSF and other universities.

• Lunch with Faculty and Scholars. This provides a weekly forum for meeting and networking with other scholars and faculty at China Basin.

• Career Mentoring, Expert Advice and Guidance. Each CTSI K scholar will be assigned a K faculty advisor and a K faculty biostatistician. The K faculty advisor is an important source of career guidance outside your home department. The K Faculty biostatistician provides biostatistical advice on your research, a service that most scholars find invaluable. In addition, each CTSI K scholar will have the opportunity to receive extensive one-on-one tutorials on at least one manuscript and one R01 grant proposal.

  K scholars will also learn the art of mentorship at the K Scholar Early Mentor Development Program seminar series.

• CTSI K Scholar Retreat. In July, there will be an overnight retreat to kick off the program and provide the opportunity for old and new scholars to get to know the program faculty and staff, and each other. The retreat is paid for by the K program.

• Scholar career development plans, progress reports, and performance feedback.

Scholar Milestones

Since our shared goal is for scholars to become independently funded by the end of their K award period (or earlier), we set out these general guidelines for scholars to consider:

By the end of the 2nd year, and each year thereafter:

• 3 peer-reviewed publications submitted, two of these as first or last author and two representing original research.
• One multidisciplinary extramural grant of any size submitted (typically R21, R03, or other federal, state, foundation, industry, or intramural grant).

By the end of the 3rd Year (or middle of the 4th year for scholars taking ATCR, Masters, other full time course work in the first year):

• One multidisciplinary, R01 grant (or equivalent) submitted.

Scholar Performance Reviews

August of the first year

• Scholars, in consultation with their mentors, create a "career development plan" for review by their "K Advisor."

Six months later and then annually

• Scholars update their career development plan for review with their mentors and with their K Advisor, and these assessments are reviewed at a KL2 faculty meeting.

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Application

This year there is a rolling admission process so that applicants may apply for this program as soon as they receive a K award and decide that this program fits their needs. Applicants will be notified of acceptance into the K Program within a month of applying. The program start date is July 1, 2013 for all applicants. The final date to apply for this program is midnight April 15, 2013. The application requires direct data entry by the applicant, as well as uploading PDF formatted documents from your NIH K or other career development award grant application. The intent is that you simply use the materials you prepared for your career award application, no need to update or change. For questions about the electronic submission process contact Chris Ireland at cireland@psg.ucsf.edu.

Required Elements for CTSI K Application. Last date to apply: April 15, 2013

Important Notes on the Electronic Submission

• Once you begin the electronic submission you must submit it within 7 days (a limit of the forms software). Therefore, we highly recommended that you prepare all of the required elements in advance and complete the electronic submission in one sitting (or over a couple of days so you can go back and review what you've included before you press submit).
• Review the PDF version of the complete application so that you know exactly what is required.
• Prepare all required elements of the K application as indicated in the table above. Create separate PDFs of the individual required elements to upload to the CTSI K application.
• CTSI K Online Application.

Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by KL2 Program leadership (Bibbins-Domingo, Walter,and Ireland), with final approval by the CTSI leadership (Grady and Johnston). As part of the application candidates must provide a letter from their Department Chair or Division Chief assuring that 75% effort is available for research and career development, and that the K-awardee will be freed up from clinical and administrative duties on Friday mornings in order to participate in the regular seminars at China Basin Landing.

Program Deadlines and Timeline

Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Last date to apply is April 15, 2013
Decision and Notification: Within one month of applying.

K-Scholar Online Application

Online Application

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Leadership

Director: Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo MD, PhD, MAS
Co-Director: Louise Walter MD
Associate Director: Ralph Gonzales MD, MSPH
Deputy Director: Chris Ireland MPH
Finance and Technology Coordinator: Shirley Yuen MPH
For information email: cireland@psg.ucsf.edu

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