Education & Training

The TL1 program (the CTSA version of a T32 training grant) is jointly sponsored by UF and Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). It provides clinical and translational research training for pre-doctoral students performing research in any health-related field using a team science approach. This program is part of the fully integrated approach of the UF CTSI to advance education and career development by early identification, recruitment, and training of a critical mass of multidisciplinary, clinical and translational investigators working to improve human health.

The goal of the TL1 program is to provide junior trainees with the skills required to develop a career in multidisciplinary clinical and translational research relevant to human health.

The TL1 Program will offer a new minor concentration in CTS for pre-doctoral students currently in discipline-focused programs and will also develop a new PhD with a major in CTS. The CTS PhD program will cross department and college boundaries and will emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of CTS. Students in professional doctoral programs will be eligible to pursue a joint MS or PhD in CTS with their primary MD, DMD, DVM, or PharmD program, leading to the conferment of dual degrees (MD/PhD, DMD/PhD, etc.).

TL1 Objectives

Recruit and select highly qualified applicants who will develop a career in multidisciplinary clinical and translational research.
Provide trainees very early in their careers with the didactic instruction, participation in multidisciplinary "team research," and mentored research experience needed to undertake innovative clinical & translational research.
Increase motivation for selection into health-relevant multidisciplinary clinical and translational research careers among the participating students. Aligned with the focus of the NIH on translational research to bridge the gap between basic science and improved human health, scholars will develop skill sets to lead and participate effectively in team oriented translational science. Participation in the program will give scholars an advantage in preparing for successful careers in academia.

TL1 Training Components

Mentored research project, with dual mentoring by basic and clinician scientists
Didactic training in team science and interdisciplinary and translational research
Shared educational experiences with student and faculty scholars from other training programs

Pre-doctoral students interested in developing careers in multidisciplinary clinical and translational research are eligible to apply. Those selected for the program will be expected to develop and conduct a translational science research project under the direction of a faculty mentor, and complete the TL1 curriculum requirements. TL1 scholars will receive a stipend of $22,376 and tuition for one year.

TL1 Mentors

Mentors must be nationally recognized faculty who represent major disciplines, centers, institutes, and/or programs. Mentors will be approved by the TL1 Advisory Committee based on the following criteria: 1) track record of federally-funded research; 2) current funded research that would afford opportunities to the CTS trainees; 3) track record of mentoring trainees or junior faculty; and 4) commitment to the proposed initiative.

TL1 Support

During this first year of the program, up to six positions will be funded for 1-2 years each, including stipend ($20,976), tuition waiver, and GatorGradCare health insurance via a Graduate Research Assistantship, and a $1,000 travel allowance to present research at a scientific meeting during the second year of support. Colleges or departments may supplement the stipend if necessary to match the level of other graduate students in their graduate program.

In subsequent years up to 3 new predoctoral trainees will be supported each year, for 1-2 years each. The second year of funding will be contingent upon satisfactory research and academic progress.

Matriculation

CTS pre-doctoral trainees will initially matriculate into one of the partner PhD programs offering the interdisciplinary concentration in CTS. Trainees may apply for CTS training either during or at the end of their first year of graduate study and may apply for CTS TL1 funding at that time. CTS TL1 funding will be awarded on a competitive basis and will cover stipend, tuition and other expenses during the second and (with satisfactory progress) third years of graduate study. The co-mentors will assume financial responsibility for continued student support beyond the third year of graduate study. Most PhD students will complete rotations in the laboratories of potential mentors in the first two semesters of graduate school (fall and spring).

Mentoring teams will be established by the end of the first summer. An exception to this plan will be the MD/PhD students, who will choose the mentoring team during the summer immediately proceeding the first year of graduate study. Students will be co-mentored by at least one basic scientist and one clinician scientist, serving as the Chair and Co-Chair of the student's graduate supervisory committee. The selection of co-mentors and the supervisory committee will be subject to approval by the TL1 Advisory Committee and the department through which the trainee seeks to obtain a PhD. CTS students and mentors will prepare a hypothesis-driven thesis/dissertation project that reflects both laboratory-based and clinical/translational research.

Advanced training will provide elective coursework relevant to CTS and will emphasize communication skills and professional development. Mentor-monitored effective scientific writing and presentation skills will be developed and be reinforced by presentations in formal courses, weekly lab meetings, and by attendance at national and international meetings. Career and professional development seminars and workshops are available through the participating colleges, e.g., the course “Essentials of Graduate Research and Professional Development” (GMS 6003) covers issues such as laboratory management, literature studies, budgeting, conflict resolution, communication skills, teamwork, intellectual property, entrepreneurship, and mentorship skills.

Written and oral exams for advancement to PhD candidacy will typically occur within 6 months following the second year. Midway through the training period all trainees will be appointed an external off-campus advisor. Trainees will present their research and future plans in the presence of the outside expert who will participate as a full member of the trainee’s graduate committee and, thus, will be directly involved in the review of the trainee’s progress until graduation. This model has been successful at UF for several years. The outside expert provides a key contact for later study and future networking possibilities.

Joint PhD Degree Programs

The College of Medicine has both an MD/PhD program and an MD “research track” available. MD/PhD students currently complete two years of medical school before beginning PhD training via the IDP in Biomedical Sciences, followed by clinical training. Those trainees who select thesis work that is primarily patient-oriented may be candidates to start their PhD studies after the completing the third year of medical school in order to benefit from experiences gained from first undertaking their core clinical clerkships. Similar programs are being formalized for DMD, DVM, and PharmD students.

The College of Medicine research track allows medical students interested in research to pursue 26 weeks of mentored research within the standard 4-year medical curriculum (10 weeks of research during the first summer plus 16 weeks during the 3rd and 4th year of medical school). A final requirement of these students is a research paper which results in the designation of MD with Honors in Research at graduation. Research track students can easily transition into CTS training in the summer of their second year and would then receive an MD degree Honors in Research with the CTS certificate or could pursue an MD/MS in CTS or MD/PhD in CTS. We envision establishing similar joint-degree programs for dental, veterinary and pharmacy students within the next 2 years.