Wisconsin Multidisciplinary K12 Urologic Research Career Development Program

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This application seeks support to continue the highly successful University of Wisconsin Multidisciplinary Urologic Career Development Program (KURe) initiated in 2013. The NIH and Institute of Medicine have identified a critical lack of investigators with the skills and clinical knowledge required to effectively investigate benign urologic disorders and identify improved methods of diagnosis and treatment. This program addresses this essential need. The 1st trainee supported by the current award now holds a tenure track faculty position in the Department of Chemistry, with a joint appointment in the Department of Urology, at the University of Washington, Seattle. The 2nd trainee holds a tenure track faculty position in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison (UW), the 3rd trainee is being actively recruited for tenure track faculty positions, the 4th trainee is a tenure track Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Sciences, the 5th trainee will likely leave the program in the near future due to having submitted an R01 application and receiving a score that ranked in the 5th percentile, and the 6th trainee (a URM) has only been in the program for 1 year but has already submitted an R01 application. The UW is uniquely suited to provide exceptional training in benign urologic research. The UW is home to 1 of 4 NIH-funded George M. O'Brien Centers for Benign Urologic Research. The research and educational activities of the Center provide excellent opportunities for KURe Scholars to engage with a variety of investigators on campus, establish contacts with external collaborators, and participate in center symposia and seminars. The training program has benefited substantially from a close and enthusiastic partnership with the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR), the administrative unit for programs supported by the Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA) held by the UW. A stated goal of the ICTR KL2 training program is to include recipients of other institutional or independent K awards in career development activities of the ICTR KL2 program. The resources of the ICTR are manifold and provide a solid foundation for our recruiting, training, and educational activities. The 12 ICTR-supported K scholars and the 5 K12 KURe scholars comprise a critical mass that benefits from well-established programs of training and mentoring. Trainees have the option to pursue graduate degrees or certificates in Clinical Investigation. Further institutional support is provided through structured training in mentoring, teaching, and career development programs offered by the office of Postdoctoral Studies and other programs. The program also works with ICTR and other programs on campus to increase the number of underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged individuals choosing to pursue postdoctoral training. In summary, this KURe program incorporates excellent trainers in a variety of disciplines who prepare trainees for outstanding careers as independent researchers focused on benign urology.