Chicago Kidney Urology Hematology network FOR city-Wide reseArch tRaining and career Development (Chicago KUH FORWARD) - – Network Section Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are essential contributors to the scientific enterprise. During their tenure at academic institutions, pre- and postdoctoral trainees expand their own knowledge, attitudes and skills and bring new energy and perspectives to their research teams. Their professional advancement assures a sustained research workforce and they inspire a new generation of trainees through their success. The city of Chicago has a rich history of innovation in manufacturing, art and science. The 6 public and private academic institutions that compose the interdisciplinary Chicago Kidney Urology Hematology network FOR city-Wide reseArch tRaining and career Development (Chicago KUH FORWARD) are committed to the “second to none” spirit of the city and are eager to innovate KUH research training. As we outline in the Overall Section, Northwestern University, Lurie Children’s Hospital, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Chicago, and Rush and Loyola Universities bring together unique and complementary strengths and are deeply committed to make Chicago the destination for KUH trainees. Our team of cross-disciplinary investigators and training leaders is well-suited to address key challenges to recruitment, advancement and retention of KUH trainees. The main goal of Chicago KUH FORWARD is to develop a city-wide environment encompassing a continuum of education, training and career development, within which aspiring researchers have access to ideas, successful role models, peer trainees, scientific information, and methodological support. This ecosystem will promote both opportunities for individual development and the growth of cross-disciplinary teams to address important problems in KUH health. The Chicago KUH FORWARD Network Core will foster a vibrant community, in which trainees will feel valued, supported and connected and will be eager to pay it forward through interactions with high school, college and medical students. By advancing the following Specific Aims, we will address key challenges to recruitment, advancement and retention of KUH trainees: Specific Aim 1: To cultivate an engaged, supportive and collaborative city-wide KUH community by connecting trainees professionally and socially with peers, research training alumni and mentors. Traditional research training that relies solely on an apprenticeship model for the transfer of skills from a single mentor to a trainee can be isolating and may impede professional advancement and scientific persistence. In this Aim, we describe opportunities that we will provide for city-wide professional and social interactions of trainees with peers, research training alumni and mentors. New venues will include cross-disciplinary seminars, workshops and journal clubs focused on cross-cutting innovative tools and not specific diseases. Specific Aim 2: To promote creation of support teams for career guidance by facilitating small group sessions for peer and near-peer mentoring and coaching. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows often face challenges that are unique to their professional stage but that are common across scientific backgrounds. Joint exploration of career development issues by trainees helps them to better contextualize the problems and to identify potential solutions. In this Aim, we describe small groups of interdisciplinary KUH trainees at similar career stages that we will bring together. These forums will be facilitated by faculty trained in the coaching approach to mentoring that is centered on active listening, powerful questioning, creating awareness, and designing action. Trainees and faculty will explore, discuss and learn about career advancement strategies, internal and external networking, problem solving, balancing professional/personal roles, and leadership development. A specific emphasis will be placed on helping trainees to create support teams they can rely on for information, advice and perspect
