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Mentored Career Development (K12) Training Program

     A major goal of the University of Massachusetts Center for Clinical and Translational Science (UMCCTS) is to develop and support the next generation of leaders in clinical and translational research. Success in today’s complex and competitive environment requires training that is truly transdisciplinary in nature, encompassing the full spectrum of translational research from discovery through pre-clinical development and first-in-human studies to implementation science with additional continuous feedback to basic science research.
     The overall goal of the K12 program is to develop the careers of translational scientists who will possess both the fundamental competencies and the 7 essential characteristics that will enable them to become transformational agents of change across the translational research spectrum. The program is open to early-career UMass faculty members who seek to develop careers as independent translational scientists.
 
The UMCCTS offers several different tracks based on research interest and employment location. 
 
1) General track, supports faculty at any UMass campus conducting clinical and translational science.
 
2) Lahey Clinic track, supports faculty from the UMass Chan-Lahey Regional campus for research focused on healthcare delivery sciences and development of a learning health system. 
 
3) UMass Memorial track, supports faculty from the UMass Memorial campus interested in implementation science and health services research. 
 
4) Community-Engaged Research track, supports faculty from the UMass Chan campus interested in community-engaged population, clinical, and translational research that is closely aligned with UMass Chan’s mission.
Click here for more information.
 

The Aims of the K12-Training Program are:

  • Provide a career development experience with outstanding mentors who provide complementary expertise for each scholar.
  • Implement a flexible career development plan with a core curriculum meeting CTR core competencies; the plan is tailored to each scholar for advanced competencies, scientific interests, and development of essential characteristics for translational researchers.
  • Create a highly skilled community of early stage investigators.

Training Program

  • Training for K12 scholars has 4 key components tailored to individual goals:
  • a transdisciplinary mentoring team and an intensive mentored research experience targeted to independence
  • coursework targeted to provide either advanced understanding of analytical methods (for more advanced entering scholars) or a degree (PhD for select MDs, MSCI for clinically-oriented postdoctoral scholars who do not already have an MPH degree)
  • K12 resources
  • enrichment activities (e.g., research seminars, workshops) available through UMass Chan or other UMass institutions, collaborating programs and centers

Scholars pursue career development full-time for 2 years, with potential consideration for a 3rd year in select situations. Projects are designed to launch a scholar's career while developing the skills needed to compete for independent funding.

Program Leaders

Catarina Kiefe, MD, PhD

Catarina Kiefe, PhD, MD

Professor, 
Population and Quantitative Health Sciences

Peter Lindenauer
Peter Lindenauer, MD, MSC, MHM
Professor,
Department of Medicine at UMass Chan Baystate

Beth McCormick

Beth McCormick, PhD

Professor Chair,
Microbiology

Milagros C. Rosal

Milagros C. Rosal, PhD

Professor,
Population and Quantitative Health Sciences