Professional Development Core

The Professional Development Core (PDC) of the NNE-CTR supports project-directed education and training, career development, and mentorship, promoting high quality scientific endeavors that will improve the health and lives of the residents of northern New England. Recently developed education/training offerings include the Clinical Research ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) and the Fundamentals in Clinical Research course. Mentorship opportunities have been strengthened for early career investigators by creating a mentorship network of accomplished clinical/translational scientists. Other innovations include development of a Research Scholar Program, the Research Professionals Network, and the Research Navigator Training Program. The PDC will now build upon these successes to expand the reach and impact of its offerings. Our aims will target priorities identified by needs assessment; specifically to improve access to education and training, to grow mentorship and support of early investigators, and to grow collaborative team science. An exciting new collaboration with the Northern New England Practice-Based Research Network (NNE-PBRN) that is affiliated with Dartmouth has been initiated. The PDC can now engage additional primary care clinics and community health centers across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. PDC offerings, including ECHO and Fundamentals, will be disseminated to investigators and research professionals throughout the NNE-PBRN and northern New England. The PDC will also further develop and expand mentor- training programs to enhance availability of skilled mentors. Opportunities for emerging clinical investigators to have protected time for mentored research experiences will be supported by the NNE-CTR Research Scholar Program and mentorship to aid submission of quality NIH K-award proposals. The PDC will also grow collaborative team science by disseminating training in team science fundamentals and by enlisting additional collaborators within the larger northern New England community and IDeA states.