The K12 has the same benefits and requirements as individual K-awards from the NIH. The K12 provides up to two years of support, which includes: 80 percent protected time for research (surgeons or other procedure-oriented clinicians must have a minimum of 50% protected time for research) and funds to defray research related expenses such as supplies or equipment; technical personnel, tuition support, and professional travel.

Scholars engage in mentored research and didactic training to make them competitive for individual career development awards and provide the base for future independent research funding. The K12 program supports Scholars in developing and conducting an outstanding clinical-translational research project at any one of the NJ ACTS partner institutions – Rutgers, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), or RWJBarnabas Health – through strong and sustained mentoring and development of research skills through its core curriculum and electives. It also provides Scholars with the opportunity to pursue an optional Masters or Certificate in Clinical and Translational Sciences.

K12 Scholars will become active members in the Rutgers Health Society of Scholars.

Each Scholar will have a primary research mentor, who is a member of the NJ ACTS Academy of Mentors, and a mentoring committee to support their development.

Scholars are expected to present their research at several venues:

• Locally – NJ ACTS Scientific Symposium; NJ ACTS annual retreat; NJ ACTS Research Seminars
• Nationally – Association of Clinical and Translational Science; other relevant scientific meetings (citing the DEVELOP grant)

Our program offers tailored learning opportunities for Scholars across the T0–T4 clinical and translational science (CTS) continuum. These include diverse, competency-based, and individualized development plans with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary professional skill training. Scholars benefit from novel online (on-demand) coursework and community engagement experiences. Because learning in this field is often experiential, Scholars will also formulate a clinical-translational research question, design a study, and apply biomedical informatics tools.

The curriculum will help Scholars develop the skills needed to become clinical-translational scientists as defined by a consensus from ‘Translation Together’, an international collaborative including NCATS to advance translational innovation.

• • Each Scholar develops an Individual Development Plan (IDP) to guide training andacquisition of translational science knowledge and The IDP complements the Scholar’s research plan and includes a research question, hypothesis, study design and approach and a narrative statement of longer-term career aspirations.
  • Scholars have access to the full resources of the NJ ACTS Element Areas, and theProgram will be an introduction to the capabilities and services of each Element/Facility.
  • Scholars benefit from training on the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and a grant writing workshop as part of their development resources.
  • Scholars have the opportunity to pursue an optional Masters or Certificate in Clinical and Translational Sciences.
  • Finally, as a capstone of the mentored training, the Scholars will develop and submit application(s)for independent funding or for additional mentored career development award.

The Society includes like-minded junior faculty from Rutgers, NJIT, and RWJBarnabas Health in the K12 program, Learning Health System Scholars program, and others pursuing, currently holding or having recently completed Career Development Awards. The Society of Scholars is thus a larger learning community of junior scientists that participate in webinars on a variety of professional development topics with senior scientists to help them advance their knowledge, skills, and experience as investigators, mentees, and emerging mentors.

If you are an early stage faculty member pursuing, currently holding or having recently completed a K-award or equivalent and are interested in being a member of the Society of Scholars, send a cover letter and NIH formatted biosketch to Tracey Sharp at k12facultydevelopment@rbhs.rutgers.

Each Scholar is required to have a primary research mentor who is a member of the NJ ACTS Academy of Mentors, chosen for scientific achievement and track records in training/mentoring and funding.

Mentors are responsible for playing an active role during the course of the award in fostering the applicant’s career development as a physician scientist. Mentors are expected to act as advocates for the applicant at the departmental, institutional and professional levels and provide scientific guidance for proposed projects. The list of primary mentors (K12 preceptors) is available here.

Mentoring in the organizational structure of the NJ ACTS K12 program will allow for more effective communication between basic and clinical scientists by building a community for the mentors through the Academy of Mentors, who share not only a focus on training the next generation of clinical-translational scientists but on clinical-translational research.

In addition to their primary research mentor, each Scholar will have a mentoring committee to support their development. With the guidance of the Primary Mentor, each Scholar chooses the members of his/ her Mentorship Committee.

For consideration to become a member of the Academy of Mentors, potential mentors should send their curriculum vitae, NIH formatted biosketch, other support and list of current/past trainees to Tracey Sharp at Email: k12facultydevelopment@rbhs.rutgers.

Scholar evaluation and feedback is an important component of the Program and is intended to provide positive and actionable feedback to the Scholar. Specific components include:

• The Mentorship Committee will monitor research and career progress
• The Scholar and primary mentor will submit brief written progress reports of Scholar’s accomplishments biannually as required by the K12 Executive Committee and the annual progress report (RPPR).
• Concluding presentation. Eighteen to twenty months after starting the research training,scholars will discuss their research achievements in a formal oral presentation to the Mentorship Committee and EC and, when appropriate, to other local experts invited to participate as ad hoc members of the Committee. This presentation will enable the Committee to judge the success of the Scholar’s progress and will provide the Scholar with an opportunity to prepare for a formal presentation of work at the Scholar’s forum at the NJ ACTS Symposium, Annual Retreat or for a presentation at the Seminars in Translational Research and/or subspecialty Grand Rounds, a scientific meeting, and eventual publication.
• A formal review of the Scholar will be performed and reviewed by the K12 Executive Committee.
• Matriculation to the second year of the program will be contingent on:
  • Completion of the first year of the core
  • Successful initial and interim presentations.
  • Presentation or poster at the NJACTS Symposium or similar venue.
  • Satisfactory yearly written evaluation by the Scholar’s Primary Mentor.

Rutgers University Office for Research

The Rutgers Office for Research supports the university’s faculty research, scholarship, and creative endeavors. The office provides support for key regulatory, compliance, and support activities essential for the operation of the university’s research and technology commercialization enterprise.

For General Inquiries about the K12 Program, please contact:

Tracey Sharp
KL2 Program Administrator
Email: k12facultydevelopment@rbhs.rutgers.edu