HOUSTON AREA INCUBATOR FOR KIDNEY, UROLOGIC, AND HEMATOLOGIC RESEARCH TRAINING (HAI-KUH)

– Professional Development Core The Houston Area Incubator for Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Research Training (HAI-KUH) addresses key challenges related to recruitment, advancement, and retention of pre- and postdoctoral trainees and clinical fellows in the KUH fields. Successful career transitions of trainees into independent investigators require multi-faceted educational strategies, which include cross-cutting professional skills. The Professional Development Core will augment research experiences with an innovative professional development program that employs modern learning techniques and emphasizes active participation through faculty- and peer-led small group sessions and a mentored approach to individual development plans that includes skills development and career preparation. Through a comprehensive matrix of professional development resources that emphasize training excellence, the Professional Development Core will address the advancement and competitiveness of HAI-KUH trainees and improve their retention in KUH research fields in both academic and non-academic settings. Aim 1 is to develop a cohort of KUH trainees prepared to launch in their chosen direction by leveraging faculty-to-trainee, peer, and near-peer interaction plans through interactive monthly learning sessions that cover a range of essential cross-cutting skills, opportunities and feedback on oral presentations and scientific writing, and professional development bootcamps in the areas of entrepreneurship/commercialization and team science, as well as tailored training plans. Aim 2 is to enhance skills and trainee competitiveness through HAI-KUH pods, individual development plans, and a HAI-KUH Professional Development Dashboard, where the pods will function as an interactive unit to facilitate both horizontal (peer) and vertical mentoring to ensure that trainees take advantage of all resources available to them and to support the successful transition to independence. Aim 3 is to develop a cohort of preceptors and trainees trained in mentor and mentee best practices, optimizing training experiences and outcomes since mentor development and training rooted in mentoring best practices are critical for successful career transitions. Refinement of strategic approaches based on recurring cycles of evaluations will ensure that the activities are well integrated, in line with the overall vision and mission of HAI-KUH and complement the goals of the Networking and Training Cores. In synergizing with the large established training programs in the Texas Medical Center, the Professional Development Core will increase trainee competitiveness, support successful career transitions to independence, improve retention of trainees in research careers in both academic and non-academic settings, and, ultimately, impact the KUH research target areas as defined by the NIDDK.