Yale Mentored Clinical Research Scholar Program Award (K12)

Interested postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty in the first 3 years of their appointments are invited to apply for funding as part of the Yale Mentored Clinical Research Scholar (K12 Program). The K12 Program, funded by the NIH Center for Research Resources (NCRR), is designed to develop a cadre of physician-investigators who will pursue academic careers and assume leadership roles in patient oriented research.

Patient-Oriented Research Definition : For this award, patient-oriented research is defined as research conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator directly interacts with human subjects. Patient-oriented research includes mechanisms of human disease, GCRC-based pathophysiologic studies, therapeutic interventions, clinical trials, and development of new technologies. Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that utilize human tissues that cannot be linked to a living individual, as well as strictly database studies where the investigator has no human contact.

Program Features:

• Faculty will develop an individualized structured didactic curriculum, including coursework in Biostatistics, Principles of Clinical Research, Methods in Clinical Research, Seminars in Clinical Investigation, Practical and Ethical Issues in Clinical Investigation, Directed Reading in Clinical Investigation, or courses in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health or Graduate School as appropriate.
• Fellows will be required to complete seven courses and two elective courses within the first 12-18 months of the program. These will include: Methods in Clinical Research (summer + 2 semesters), Seminars in Clinical Investigation (2 semesters), Principles of Translational Research, Practical and Ethical Issues in Clinical Investigation, Directed Reading in Clinical Investigation, and at least two elective courses in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health or Graduate School as appropriate. Didactic requirements will be adapted to account for previous training.
• Mentored research experience

Benefits:

• Faculty Stipends of up to $90,000 per year, dependent upon level of training ($75,000 for fellows)
• Coverage of research and tuition costs up to $30,000 per year per candidate (including travel to a research meetings or training)
• Potential eligibility for the NIH Loan Repayment Program

Eligibility:

• U.S. citizens, permanent residents (I-151or I-551) or non-citizen nationals; no other visas
• M.D. degree
• Faculty in clinical departments in the first 3 years of their academic appointment (e.g., Instructor, Assistant Professor, or Associate Research Scientist)
• Fellows in clinical departments who have completed the clinical portion of their training

Requirements:

• Fellows: matriculation in Investigative Medicine Ph.D. Program, with dedication of 3-5 years in pursuit of a Ph.D. degree in Investigative Medicine from Yale University School of Medicine
• Junior faculty: 90% protected research time for 3-5 years; execution of an agreement with the accepted candidates, their mentor, and their section chief and departmental chairs will be required
• Identified Yale faculty mentor with independent grant funding and mentorship experience, willing to provide letter of support that details mentorship experience and commitment to providing supervision and support (mentorship) for the duration of the award

Exclusions:

• Candidates who have been PIs on large NIH research project grants, such as R01, FIRST Awards (R29), VA Career Development Awards, P01, or Center Grants (P50) are ineligible. Small grants such as R03 or Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21) are acceptable.
• Candidates who have been previously supported on NIH or non-NIH career development awards dedicated to training patient-oriented researchers including K08 and K23 mechanisms
• Holders of other concurrent PHS awards.

Selection Process:

• Materials: Application Form, Checklist, Recommendation Forms, Transcript Forms, Research proposal (8 pages, including 1 page abstract, 5 page description of research area and proposed project, 2 page discussion of career development plan and how this award will facilitate goals, and award timeline); letter of support and commitment from mentor
• 3-4 interviews with members of the Executive Advisory Board
• Ranking and selection of candidates by Board (early March of each academic year)
• The number of physician-investigators supported during the course of the grant will depend upon the length of projects proposed by the awardees and decisions made by the funding agency

Program Director

• Eugene Shapiro, M.D. (Pediatrics)

The Executive Advisory Board

• Amy Justice, M.D., Ph.D. (Internal Medicine)
• Stanislav Kasl, Ph.D. (Epidemiology and Public Health)
• Thomas Kosten, M.D. (Psychiatry)
• Harlan Krumholz, M.D., S.M. (Internal Medicine)
• John Krystal, M.D. (Psychiatry)
• Harvey Risch, M.D., Ph.D. (Epidemiology and Public Health)
• Eugene Shapiro, M.D. (Pediatrics)
• Robert Sherwin, M.D. (Internal Medicine)
• William Tamborlane, M.D. (Pediatrics)

K12 Scholars for 2004-2005

• Karen Dorsey, M.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Pediatrics
• Nina Kadan-Lottick, M.D., Associate Research Scientist, Pediatrics (Hematology-Oncology)
• Peter Morgan, M.D., Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
• Margaret Pisani, M.D., M.P.H., Internal Medicine (Pulmonary) - Affiliate

K12 Scholars for 2005-2006

• Kristina Crothers, M.D., Instructor, Pulmonary
• Arthur Simen, Ph..D., Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
• David Van Duin, M.D., Posdoctoral Fellow, Internal Medicine (Infectious Diseases)
• Henry Yaggi, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Pulmonary - Affiliate

Important Links

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Faculty Application
• Fellows Application

For more information, contact Pam Fucci at 785-6842 or pamela.fucci@yale.edu