Yin Helen L, Gabrilove Janice, Jackson Rebecca, Sweeney Carol, Fair Alecia M, Toto Robert
H.L. Yin is professor of physiology, codirector, Education Career Development Program, Center for Translational Medicine, and associate dean, Office of Women's Careers, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. J. Gabrilove is professor of medicine and oncological services, director, Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program, director, Clinical Research Education Programs, and codirector, KL2 Scholars and MD/MSCR Programs, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. R. Jackson is professor of medicine, associate dean for clinical research, and director, Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. C. Sweeney is associate professor of internal medicine and codirector, Research Education, Training, and Career Development, Utah Center for Clinical and Translational Science, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah. A.M. Fair is research services consultant II, Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical Translational Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee. R. Toto is professor of internal medicine, codirector, Education Career Development Program, and principal investigator, Clinical Translational Science Award, Center for Translational Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
Acad Med. 2015 Jul;90(7):861-5. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000000758.
There is mounting concern that clinician-scientists are a vanishing species and that the pipeline for clinical and translational research (CTR) investigators is in jeopardy. For the majority of current junior CTR investigators, the career path involves first obtaining a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded K-type career development award, particularly K08 and K23, and subsequently an NIH R01. This transition, popularly referred to as K2R, is a major hurdle with a low success rate and gaps in funding. In this Perspective, the authors identify factors that facilitate K2R transition and important aspects of increasing and sustaining the pipeline of CTR investigators. They also highlight significant differences in success rates of women and those underrepresented in biomedical research. Early career exposure to research methodology, protected time, multidisciplinary mentoring, and institutional "culture shift" are important for fostering and rewarding team science. Mentoring is the single most important contributor to K2R success, and emerging evidence suggests that formal mentor training and team mentoring are effective. Leadership training can empower junior investigators to thrive as independent CTR investigators. Future research should focus on delineating the difference between essential and supplemental factors to achieve this transition, and mentoring methods that foster success, including those that promote K2R transition of women and those underrepresented in biomedical research. The Clinical and Translational Science Awards National Consortium is well positioned to test existing models aimed at shortening the time frame, increasing the rate of K2R transition, and identifying strategies that improve success.
人们越来越担心临床科学家这一群体正在消失，临床与转化研究（CTR）研究人员的培养渠道也岌岌可危。对于当前大多数初级CTR研究人员来说，其职业道路首先是获得美国国立卫生研究院（NIH）资助的K类职业发展奖，特别是K08和K23奖，随后再获得NIH的R01奖。这种转变，通常被称为K2R，是一个主要障碍，成功率低且资金存在缺口。在这篇观点文章中，作者确定了促进K2R转变的因素以及增加和维持CTR研究人员培养渠道的重要方面。他们还强调了女性和在生物医学研究中代表性不足的人群在成功率方面的显著差异。早期职业阶段接触研究方法、有保障的时间、多学科指导以及机构的“文化转变”对于培养和奖励团队科学很重要。指导是K2R成功的最重要因素，新出现的证据表明正式的导师培训和团队指导是有效的。领导力培训可以使初级研究人员成长为独立的CTR研究人员。未来的研究应专注于区分实现这一转变的关键因素和补充因素，以及促进成功的指导方法，包括那些促进女性和在生物医学研究中代表性不足的人群实现K2R转变的方法。临床与转化科学奖全国联盟有能力测试旨在缩短时间框架、提高K2R转变率以及确定提高成功率策略的现有模式。
