title: A Matrix Mentoring Model That Effectively Supports Clinical and Translational Scientists and Increases Inclusion in Biomedical Research: Lessons From the University of Utah.
abstract: Physician-scientists and scientists in all the health professions are vital members of the U.S. biomedical workforce, but their numbers at academic health centers are declining. Mentorship has been identified as a key component in retention of faculty members at academic health centers. Effective mentoring may promote the retention of clinician-scientists in the biomedical workforce. The authors describe a holistic institutional mentoring program to support junior faculty members engaged in clinical and translational science at the University of Utah. The clinical and translational scholars (CATS) program leverages the resources of the institution, including the Center for Clinical and Translational Science, to augment departmental resources to support junior faculty investigators and uses a multilevel mentoring matrix that includes self, senior, scientific, peer, and staff mentorship. Begun in the Department of Pediatrics, the program was expanded in 2013 to include all departments in the school of medicine and the health sciences. During the two-year program, scholars learn management essentials and have leadership training designed to develop principal investigators. Of the 86 program participants since fiscal year 2008, 92% have received extramural awards, 99% remain in academic medicine, and 95% remain at the University of Utah. The CATS program has also been associated with increased inclusion of women and underrepresented minorities in the institutional research enterprise. The CATS program manifests institutional collaboration and coordination of resources, which have benefited faculty members and the institution. The model can be applied to other academic health centers to support and sustain the biomedical workforce.
authors.affiliation: C.L. Byington is professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, and associate vice president, Health Sciences Faculty, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. H. Keenan is professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah. J.D. Phillips is research professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah. R. Childs is manager, Office of Academic Affairs and Faculty Development for the Health Sciences, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. E. Wachs is pediatric research manager, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah. M.A. Berzins is assistant vice president, Human Resources and Management, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. K. Clark is program coordinator, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. M.K. Torres is program coordinator, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. J. Abramson is program manager, Vice President's Clinical and Translational Research Scholars Program, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. V. Lee is senior vice president for the health sciences, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. E.B. Clark is chair, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Carrie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Byington
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keenan
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Childs
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wachs
authors.forename: Mary Anne
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Berzins
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Maria K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abramson
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D035843:Biomedical Research; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D008913:Minority Groups; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D010822:Physicians, Women; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012108:Research Personnel; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D013192:Staff Development; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical; D014495:Universities; D014589:Utah