Articles

National Institutes of Health Career Development Awards for Cardiovascular Physician-Scientists: Recent Trends and Strategies for Success

Lindman, Brian R.; Tong, Carl W.; Carlson, Drew E.; Balke, C. William; Jackson, Elizabeth A.; Madhur, Meena S.; Barac, Ana; Abdalla, Marwah; Brittain, Evan L.; Desai, Nihar; Freeman, Andrew M.; Kates, Andrew M.; Mann, Douglas L.

Nurturing the development of cardiovascular physician-scientist investigators is critical for sustained progress in cardiovascular science and improving human health. The transition from an inexperienced trainee to an independent physician-scientist is a multifaceted process requiring a sustained commitment from the trainee, mentors, and institution. A cornerstone of this training process is a career development (K) award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These awards generally require 75% of the awardee's professional effort devoted to research aims and diverse career development activities carried out in a mentored environment over a 5-year period. We report on recent success rates for obtaining NIH K awards, provide strategies for preparing a successful application and navigating the early career period for aspiring cardiovascular investigators, and offer cardiovascular division leadership perspectives regarding K awards in the current era. Our objective is to offer practical advice that will equip trainees considering an investigator path for success.

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Also Published In

Title
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2015.08.858

More About This Work

Academic Units
Medicine
Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health
Published Here
January 19, 2017