What is the length of appointment to the T32 program?
Appointment to the T32 program is for a period of 2 years. Per NIH guidelines, no individual trainee may receive more than 5 years of aggregate NRSA support at the pre-doctoral level.
Will the T32 program extend my graduation date?
No. Trainees in the T32 program do not incur any extra time to graduation and successfully complete their degree programs in the same amount of time as other Ph.D. students.
What are the benefits of the T32 program?
The T32 program provides trainees mentored exposure to clinical and translational research methodology and team science. Through experiential learning and instructive curriculum, trainees will learn about the continuum from basic research to how discoveries are disseminated into improved health care. Trainees also get to experience the real-world translation of research into practice through clinical observation and mentoring.
Trainees in the T32 program receive annually:
Research Funding
- Stipend support* at the NRSA-established levels for pre-doctoral trainees. Mentors are required to supplement the trainee’s stipend up to the amount required by their respective colleges.
- Tuition fees up to $16,000 for Ph.D. students; up to $21,000 for students in a combined dual-degree program (Fall & Spring only)
- $4,750 of project funds & training-related expenses (including student health insurance)
- $1,500 in travel funds for travel to the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) national meeting. Trainees funded for a second year may choose to attend a meeting relevant to their research.
- $3,000 in childcare costs for each trainee in addition to training funds https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-24-116.html
Research Guidance
- Mentorship in your area of research
- Support and regular updates with program leadership
- Access to SCTR/OCR research staff, including SUCCESS Center consults in research navigation, biostatistics, recruitment, REDCap, regulatory issues, grant budgets, and research opportunities and development
Research Career Development
- Assistance with protocol creation – completing a regulatory review, constructing a Prospective Reimbursement Analysis (PRA), complying with the NIH Public Access Policy (publications in PubMed Central)
- Customized Individual Development Plan (IDP) to guide future career progress
- Support with writing a competitive NRSA or other extramural application
- Training and support for making scientific presentations
- Training in rigor and reproducibility
Research Experience
- Real-world clinical exposure working alongside clinical mentors in your field of research (Translational Science Clinic)
- Exploration of thought-provoking case studies from both a clinical and research perspective (Translational Medicine Seminars)
- A novel team-based journal club that explores the translation of basic science discoveries into practice (T32 Journal Club)
- Opportunities to present your research before peers and thought leaders (ACTS meeting, Perry V. Halushka Student Research Day, SCTR All-Staff Meeting). During the second-year, awardees can attend and present at the conference of their choosing.
How is the SCTR T32 program different from other T32 programs?
The SCTR T32 program is unique as it provides career development and training opportunities for trainees from various disciplines, colleges, and research areas. By not focusing on a specific disease area, T32 trainees are able to work and collaborate with students in similar career stages but with different perspectives. The program provides valuable networking opportunities with other T32 trainees and researchers throughout MUSC and the nationwide CTSA consortium. Trainees engage in numerous professional development activities and learning opportunities along the translational research continuum from T0 (basic science) through T4 (public health). Students in the T32 program have access to training in areas that they may not otherwise be exposed to, including seeing research results “in action” in a clinical setting.
Do I have to have a mentor on the T32?
Yes. The applicant is expected to identify a mentor in their area of research interest and work with them in all aspects of their T32 training, starting with the application process. Both mentors and trainees will read and sign the AAMC Compact between Biomedical Graduate Students and Their Research Advisors, paying special attention to the Commitments of Graduate Students and Commitments of Research Advisors.
The mentor must have independent funding for the duration of the applicant’s T32 appointment and for future years to cover the anticipated time for completion of the Ph.D. degree.
What are the mentor requirements?
Under guidance and editing from the mentor, the applicant should develop their proposal that describes the research project to be undertaken. The mentor will guide and encourage the design and execution of an original, high quality, dissertation research project. Mentors will provide guidance on the following documents and activities, including but not limited to:
- T32 application
- Individual Development Plan (IDP)
- Progress reports
- Manuscripts
- Abstracts/posters/presentations
Additionally, mentors provide career development and counseling by meeting with trainees regularly (at least weekly), attending required meetings/activities organized by SCTR, including the trainee as an author on relevant publications/posters/presentations, and helping the trainee apply for post-T32 funding. Mentors are also required to ensure that the trainee’s department is supplementing the T32 stipend up to the amount required by their respective colleges.
Quality mentorship is fundamental to influencing trainees’ productivity in research, informed career decision-making, networking, career trajectory, and career satisfaction. In addition to the responsibilities discussed above, mentors are required to:
- Ensure that the projected time supported by the award is being met.
- Promote all ethical standards for conducting research, including compliance with institutional and federal regulations as they relate to responsible conduct in research. The mentor shall clearly define expectations for research conduct and be available to discuss ethical concerns as they arise.
- Ensure that the mentee has sufficient opportunities to acquire the skills necessary for a career in clinical and translational research.
- Seek the assistance of other faculty and departmental/institutional resources when necessary.
- Encourage the mentee to interact with fellow scientists both intra- and extramurally, including at professional meetings to network and present research findings.
- Support the trainee as they transition into the next stage of their career and beyond.
- Seek opportunities to enhance one’s own mentoring skills, including attending SCTR’s Annual Mentorship Training Symposium.
- Encourage and support the mentee’s submission of an external F award application or equivalent grant.
