Clinical Research Training in Child Psychiatry

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is a competitive renewal of 5T32MH18951-12, a postdoctoral clinical research training program in child mental health intervention and services research. Support is requested for four post-residency child psychiatrists, four post-doctoral child psychologists or other doctorally-prepared professionals, and four medical students for summer research electives. In the summer research experience, medical students work with a research preceptor from the training faculty on a project leading to a publishable product in order to stimulate greater interest in child psychiatry research. The postdoctoral training program prepares trainees to formulate original, incisive questions in child mental health intervention and services research. The following areas are emphasized: (1) clinical epidemiology, understanding the predictors of course onset, and response to treatment of child mental disorders; (2) intervention and prevention research using clinical trials methodology; (3) mental health services research, including dissemination studies; and (4) biological and genetic predictors of treatment response. A multidisciplinary faculty group with a long and successful history of research and research training is involved with the program, with expertise in all of the above-noted areas. The foremost aspect of the program is the pairing of the trainee with an academically successful mentor. The mentor involves the trainee in existing projects, supervises the trainee in the development of publications, and helps the trainee to draft research protocols that will lead to significant advances in the field and external funding for independent research. An individually tailored course of didactic study will be developed for each trainee to ensure the acquisition of core knowledge in research design, statistics, and content areas relevant to the research interests of the trainee. Trainees acquire core skills through seminars in formulation of research questions, grant writing, and project management ("research survival skills"), and managing ethical issues in the conduct of research. In the last project period, our graduates have been successful: of 11 graduates of the program, 10 have published peer-reviewed papers, and 9 have received external funding, 7 have academic appointments, and 3 are already recognized as leaders in their field.