It's important to create a strong mentoring environment for junior investigators in clinical and translational sciences. With funds from ARRA, we are testing the effectiveness of a research mentor training program across the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) consortium.
An eight-hour curriculum, UW Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Training, focuses on six key mentoring competencies: (1) maintaining effective communication between mentor and mentee; (2) establishing and aligning expectations between mentor and mentee; (3) assessing mentees' understanding of scientific research; (4) addressing diversity within mentor-mentee relationships; (5) fostering mentees' independence; and (6) promoting mentees' professional career development.
A UW Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Training Guidebook was developed and has directed the training intervention, led by local facilitators across 16 sites.
To test the effectiveness of this multi-site intervention, a randomized controlled trial was conducted. The primary outcome for the trial is the improvement of mentoring skills as defined by the six key mentoring competencies.
A working group from multiple CTSAs constructed the Mentoring Competency Assessment to evaluate the impact of the training. This instrument was administered to mentors and mentees in both the control and intervention groups prior to the training and six months post randomization.
Preliminary survey results are promising. Over 90% of facilitators replied that they would lead the training again and the vast majority of mentors described the eight hours of training as time well spent. Initial feedback also suggests an interest in greater curriculum flexibility to accommodate the diverse groups of mentors in the spectrum of clinical and translational research. A new NIH supplement has just been awarded to do just that.
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