Initiative entitled “Child health career development award: K12 mentoring program for pediatrician scientists.”
The PGNB seeks Council approval for the renewal of the mentoring program, Child Health Research Career Development Award (CHRCDA). The CHRCDA program supports a mentored institutional career development program for junior faculty pediatricians who have recently completed postgraduate clinical training in a subspecialty area of pediatrics and are committed to launching an independent research career. The program is designed to enhance research skills and to provide a bridge between formal research training and the receipt of independent grants. From its inception, the program has focused on the training of pediatricians with outstanding scientific potential.
Initiated in 1990, NICHD envisioned the CHRCDA program to provide protected research time along with sustained mentoring and training during the formative early faculty period by providing research training in the labs of scientific leaders. A primary aim of the CHRCDA is to identify and match talented junior faculty at each center with scientific mentorship. Our goal is to provide the scholars with the technical skills and foundation to become productive physician scientists in a highly competitive research environment by training them in the latest investigative techniques and guiding them through innovative scientific projects that provide a strong foundation for future initiatives.
With current shortages of subspecialty pediatricians and fewer slots for training and mentoring, this program remains increasingly vital to sustain the pediatrician scientist workforce by providing academically oriented pediatricians who are in the earliest stages of their careers with protected research time, training, and mentoring. This program addresses the NICHD’s ongoing commitment to the training and career development of physician scientists during their formative years. Training the next generation of physician scientists is paramount to maintaining a diverse academic workforce who are devoted to advancing research in child health, a patient population NICHD serves.
Applicants must propose a career development program that will maximize the use of their educational resources to rapidly expand the knowledge base and professional development of scholars. Over the duration of the program, the CHRCDA has added substantially to the academic workforce. NICHD has funded 1035 pediatricians at 38 pediatric departments throughout the US. The majority of past scholars (90%) remain in academics and have dedicated their professional lives to advancing science and discovering new therapies for childhood illnesses. Many of them have advanced through the academic ladder and hold leadership positions. This cohort of pediatricians has been remarkably successful in securing funding, with an impressive 80% application rate and, for those who apply, a 75% success rate for obtaining NIH grants.
We anticipate, with Council’s approval, this program will continue to address the ongoing need for basic and translational research training of junior research faculty.
Program Contact
Karen Winer
Pediatric Growth and Nutrition Branch (PGNB)
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