Project Summary/Abstract.
Clinician scientists fulfil a unique role by integrating discovery science with clinical practice and therapeutic
intervention. However, their numbers are in decline, creating the need for flexible training and research
opportunities to ensure their future. The Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute’s (CCTSI) T32
Post-Doctoral Program will address the need for highly qualified and competent translational scientists by
providing a responsive and evidence-informed program, a stimulating environment with well-equipped facilities,
a community of practice for translational scientists, and the explicit value that Diversity Accelerates Research
and Translation (DART). We request support for 4 post-doctoral trainee slots of two years each. Our
program is novel in that it expands the translational spectrum by recognizing the importance of shared,
naturally occurring models of disease among animals and humans to push discovery, which we coin T0.5. Our
program will involve both doctorally prepared clinicians (physicians (MD), pharmacists (PharmD), physical
therapists (DPT), nurses (DPN) and others) at the University of Colorado who will complete the Master of
Science in Clinical Science (MSCS) degree and veterinarians completing a PhD from Colorado State
University, a partnering university. Trainees of our interprofessional program will be highly qualified and
thoroughly prepared to be effective team members and translational scientists that fuel discovery that is
translated to communities for improved health and lives of its citizens. Development of translational scientists
that characterize Domain Expert, Rigorous Researcher, Boundary Crosser, Process Innovator, Team Player,
Skilled Communicator, and Systems Thinker will be emphasized through completion of a degree program
(MSCS or PhD), meaningful immersion experiences for translational science and translational research,
effective mentorship and peer support, and alleviating “pull factors” by creating a community of practice
through our Translational Scientist seminars. Pull factors are demands that compete or conflict with trainee
engagement, integration, and performance that ultimately diminish persistence. Clinical and translational
science and research requires a shift from an individual-based approach to a teamwork model. Team member
competency development will be kick-started by early participation in our Teaming and Leading program. The
One Health framework will be used to highlight the need for teaming and permit application of all translational
scientist competencies recognizing that achievement of optimal health is reliant on the interconnection among
people, animals, and their shared environment across eco-health system levels (local, regional, national and
global). A culminating activity will be trainee led interdisciplinary teams participating in a One Health Hackathon
focused on antimicrobial resistance. Long term-evaluation and continuous quality improvement will be used to
guide programmatic efforts and respond to changing demands. Evaluative efforts will focus on the program’s
ability to develop a diverse group of persistent team oriented translational scientists.