Approaches to Preparing Young Scholars for Careers in Interdisciplinary Team Science

Abstract

To succeed as a biomedical researcher, the ability to flourish in interdisciplinary teams of scientists is becoming ever more important. Institutions supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) from the National Institutes of Health have a specific mandate to educate the next generation of clinical and translational researchers. While they strive to advance integrated and interdisciplinary approaches to education and career development in clinical and translational science, general approaches and evaluation strategies may differ, as there is no single, universally accepted or standardized approach. It is important, therefore, to learn about the different approaches used to determine what is effective. We implemented a Web-based survey distributed to education leaders at the 60 funded CTSA institutions; 95% responded to the survey, which included questions on the importance of preparation for interdisciplinary team science careers, methods used to provide such training, and perceived effectiveness of these training programs. The vast majority (86%) of education leaders reported that such training is important, and about half (52%) of the institutions offer such training. Methods of training most often take the form of courses and seminars, both credit bearing and noncredit. These efforts are, by and large, perceived as effective by the training program leaders, although long-term follow-up of trainees would be required to fully evaluate ultimate effectiveness. Results from the survey suggest that CTSA education directors believe that specific training in interdisciplinary team science for young investigators is very important, but few methodologies are universally practiced in CTSA institutions to provide training or to assess performance. Four specific recommendations are suggested to provide measurable strategic goals for education in team science in the context of clinical and translational research.

Transition to Independence: Characteristics and Outcomes of Mentored Career Development (KL2) Scholars at Clinical and Translational Science Award Institutions

“…Participation in team science, holding roles other than PI, is increasingly recognized as making a significant contribution in clinical research, 3,24 and our data are consistent with former KL2 scholars taking on these roles.…”

Pilot Analysis of the Motivation Assessment for Team Readiness, Integration, and Collaboration (Matricx) Using Rasch Analysis

“…There is strong consensus that team science training is key to helping professionals to succeed in translational healthcare and medicine,44 yet it is not clear that such training interventions are sufficient to produce behavioral changes that result in successful collaborative, transdisciplinary teams. Current training has a tendency to focus on instructing individuals how to function as part of a team addressing scientific problems45 rather than emphasizing how individuals can change attitudes and behaviors that stem from intrapersonal mindsets about collaborating in teams.…”

Found in Translation: Training the Next Generation of Translational Neuroscientists

“…In addition, many CTSA centers offer a wide variety of training experiences, bioinformatics, and clinical trial support. With opportunities for MDs, PhDs, and other health professionals from postdoc to faculty, as well as graduate and medical students, these flexible programs aim to prepare researchers for careers that span clinical and translational sciences with an emphasis on interdisciplinary team science (Begg et al, 2014). Professional societies are also playing a greater role in providing educational programs that are beginning to provide such lifelong learning and education to established investigators: maintaining updated knowledge will be key for sustaining successful translational programs.…”