K12 Program

Program Sponsor: The program assigned sponsor advocates for the scholar, assists them in managing their training plan, advises on grant strategies, and serves as an independent career advisor. 

Research Mentor(s): Each scholar will identify their research mentor(s)prior to applying to the program. Prior to appointment date, scholars coordinate an initial Orientation Meeting to include the Program Sponsor and their Research Mentor(s). 

K12 Advisory Committee: Each scholar will identify their K12 advisory committee prior to appointment. This committee will provide scientific direction and career advising throughout the period of their appointment. The committee will include two faculty members, the Primary Mentor, and the K12 Program Sponsor.

The committee will meet twice a year with the scholar. 

Individual Development Plan (IDP)

Scholars submitted a learning plan upon application. Utilizing the online career development plan platform (CCDP), scholars will align their skills and needs to their learning plan and formulate a career development plan for their time in the program. This will be reviewed with their mentors and advisory committee at the start of the program and twice yearly during the program.  The following are required learning plan elements:

Work in Progress (WiP) Sessions

These required sessions are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month, from 12 – 1:30 pm in Smilow 10-100 Conference room. Moderated by Program Leadership, these sessions aim to develop presentation skills, ability to respond to questions, as well as to provide constructive critiques of others' work. The sessions will allow for topic discussions focused on preparing scholars for individual Career Development Award submissions and navigating career transitions.  Scholars are assigned dates in advance to present up to three times a year.

Professional Development - Advancing Scientific Careers and Enhancing Professional Development (ASCEND)

These required sessions are held on 2^nd or 4^th Thursdays, 12:30 – 2 PM in 8030 Maloney Building, HUP unless otherwise noted. The curriculum is designed to cultivate professional skills in five domains essential for translational scientist development: (i) management skills for leading research teams and projects, (ii) scientific communication expertise for sharing discoveries effectively, (iii) strategies for valuing and promoting one's scientific contributions, (iv) techniques for cultivating a distinctive scientific identity, and (v) developing leadership skills and attributes for guiding collaborative initiatives toward meaningful health improvements. 

Executive Career Coaching

Scholars receive professional coaching from Christina Roberto, PhD, the Mitchell J. Blutt and Margo Krody Blutt Presidential Professor of Health Policy at PSOM. Small group sessions are held over zoom on select Thursdays in year 1. Scholars receive an initial intake and two coaching sessions in Year 1. In Year 2, six coaching sessions are spread across Fall and Spring.  These 55 minute sessions are virtual and scheduled based on coach and scholar availability.

Grantsmanship Training

• Scholars choose MTR 6060 for Career Development Award (NIH K or Foundation) applications or MTR 6230 for NIH R applications.
  • Scholars enroll in the courses when they are actively preparing their grant submission. MTR 6060 is offered Fall (best for spring/summer submissions) and Spring (best for summer or fall submissions) MTR 6230 is offered in spring.
• Scholars may also participate in Grant Proposal Success groups.

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) & Rigor and Reproducibility

• Scholars are required to complete the following online training modules via Workday Learning or Canvas modules. If scholar has already completed the relevant training in the past 2 years, they may share their certificate of completion with the program to receive an equivalency record.
  • Ethics of Research with Human Subjects (Canvas; 4.5 hours)
  • Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) (Workday; 5 hours)
  • Good Clinical Practice (GCP) - Simulation (Workday; 1.5 hours)
  • Conflicts of Interest in Biomedical Research (Canvas; 1 hour)
• Additional RCR content is facilitated via small-group case-based discussions and role-playing scenarios in ASCEND. Topics rotate through the curriculum, addressing how investigators will engage as responsible members of society, contemporary ethical issues in biomedical research, and the environmental and societal impacts of scientific research.
• IRB Service: Scholars serve as a member of a Penn or CHOP Institutional Review Board (IRB). This includes new member training, one observation meeting, and 3 meetings as a reviewer. Scholars who have fulfilled membership within the past 3 years will be considered to have met this requirement. Coordination of IRB board assignments is initiated at the start of the program in July.  Observation may begin as soon as July depending on board assignment and participation as a reviewer may begin at the first meeting available after observation.

Required Symposia, Seminars and Meetings

1. • ITMAT Ed Early Stage Investigator Symposium (every other year)
   • National Translational Science Meeting (Abstract Required to attend)

National K12 Professional Development Series 

Virtual Professional Development Sessions offered to K12 Scholars from across the CTSA Network. Scholars are highly encouraged to attend these sessions.

Additional learning plan elements available to scholars include coursework, certificates, masters degree, workshops, and externships.

Scholars are encouraged to utilize their Mentoring Team, Program Sponsor and Program Administration for support to identify needed resources.  

Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS):  Penn has an institutional membership to which you can affiliate. Scholars may also be interested in Special Interest Group membership.

Citing the CTSA and Public Access Compliance Policy

Holman Biotech Commons:  Schedule a consult with a biomedical librarian, reserve space, etc.

ITMAT Membership Free Associate Membership and access to ITMAT listserv.

ITMAT Center for Human Phenomic Science (CHPS):  Reach out to a Research Facilitator to help navigate available cores, research services and resources. 

ITMAT Ed Grant Library: Scholars have access to the ITMAT Ed Grant Library which includes examples of successful K and R submissions.  Scholars can also submit their future grant submissions to the library.

Research Navigation: With support from the Office of Clinical Research, staff with specific expertise will provide concierge service for specific aspects of K12 research projects as required and as they are available. This may also include access to tools and templates (for example, authorship agreement template and study start-up guide).

Internal and External Research Funding Opportunities collated by the Perelman School of Medicine Chief Scientific Officer’s Office

PSOM Update Newsletter: Subscribe for Funding News & Opportunities 

One objective of the program is to create community amongst scholars. Scholars meet to discuss research in progress, provide peer review for each other’s work, problem solve, and participate in the ASCEND programming.

Within the ITMAT Ed community, scholars serve as near-peer mentors for junior trainees and predoctoral students via shared ASCEND programming.

Within the national CTSA community, scholars participate in the visiting professorship program, national K12 Professional Development Sessions, and the annual Translational Science meeting.