CTSA Predoctoral T32 Program at the Medical University of South Carolina - This application requests support for the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research (SCTR) Predoctoral Training Program (T32) at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to provide a 2-year comprehensive training experience in clinical and translational science (CTS) supporting four predoctoral trainees at a time. The mission of our program is to train a multidisciplinary cadre of translational scientists to become domain experts skilled in the application of clinical and translational science (CTS) principles and individuals who will increase the efficiency and efficacy of translation while conducting clinically relevant research to address the Nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. We will accomplish this through four main objectives: 1) optimize our interdisciplinary training program by providing novel didactic, experiential, and research experiences such that predoctoral trainees will be prepared to think both independently and interdependently as integral members of translational science teams; 2) implement innovative practical experiences focused on translational science that emphasize team building, entrepreneurship, and near-peer mentoring; 3) augment the trainee’s translational research skills by leveraging institutional strengths in CTS research; and 4) promote a comprehensive approach to recruit and develop a pool of CTS professionals across a range of scientific disciplines. We will leverage the availability of mentors from multiple scientific backgrounds who are domain experts and boundary crossers, follow a curriculum that encourages trainees to be team players, emphasizes the importance and roadmap of translating discoveries from the bench to the clinic through the principles of CTS, become systems thinkers, skilled communications, innovators and team players who contribute to boundary-crossing teams that are addressing barriers in translational science affecting their own disciplines and other disciplines. The program utilizes rigorous training encompassing a combination of didactic courses, practical experiences, and team science experiences. We accomplish this via training opportunities such as a Team Science in Clinical Research course, unique Translational Research Journal Club, participation in a translational medicine seminar series, attendance at the annual ACTS national meeting, and internship opportunities with a resident science writer on Science Communication. The program is designed to promote interactions with other SCTR hub programs, including K12 scholars. The program will appoint 4 predoctoral trainees for two years. Graduates of this program will become rigorous innovative domain experts and part of a community of clinical and translational science teams who are poised to leverage team science to advance strategies that improve health.
