- What is the difference between the K30 Master’s Degree Program, the KL2 Scholars Award and the TL1 Training Award Programs?
- Do I qualify for the K30 Master’s Degree Program, KL2 Scholars Award or TL1 Training Award Programs?
- Can candidates applying for a CTSA KL2 appointment also apply for additional mentored K awards (i.e., K08 or K23)?
- Can a candidate who has submitted K23 application but has not received a score or has been informed that he or she has an unfundable score apply for a KL2 appointment?
- As a KL2 Scholar, can I receive concurrent sources of support?
What is the Clinical & Translational Education Program (CTEP)?
The Clinical & Translational Education Program was developed as the educational/training component of the Weill Cornell CTSC which was funded in September 2007 by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR).
Do I meet the citizenship qualifications?
In order to apply to a CTEP Program (KL2/TL1) you must meet one of the following citizenship requirements:
- US Citizen
- Non-Citizen National (a person born in or having ties with "an outlying possession of the United States", i.e., American Samoa or Swains Island)
- Lawfully Admitted Permanent Resident (someone who has been granted authorization to live and work in the US on a permanent basis. As proof of that status, a person is granted a permanent resident card, commonly called a "green card.")
What is the tuition for this program? Are there any potential sources of funding available?
This is a scholarship program and students are only responsible for activities fees and course-related materials (textbooks, software, etc.).
In addition, to ensure protected time, institutional resources and NIH training grant mechanisms may be available for qualified applicants: TL1 Pre-doctoral Clinical & Translational Researching Training Program and the KL2 Post-doctoral Career Scholars Honors Program. For additional information, please visit the CTEP Awards website.
Are TOEFL scores required for admission?
TOEFL scores are required for those whose native language is not English.
Are both GRE and MCAT scores required?
MCAT scores are required if you are an M.D. If you are a graduate student, GRE scores may be submitted instead.
When are classes held?
During the first year of the core curriculum, classes are scheduled for approximately 1 to 2 hours (between 4:00 – 6:30 PM) Mondays through Fridays.
Who are the Course Directors?
Course Directors are from diverse backgrounds and their specialties range from epidemiology, public health, to pharmacology, genetics, and ethics. Please refer to the CTEP list of faculty for further information.
Does the Program allow credit transfers?
In limited and special circumstances, the Program may accept transfer credits from other institutions. Written approval is required prior to admissions. To inquire please send a letter of request with an official academic transcript(s) along with the corresponding course descriptions to the Program Office.
Can medical doctors who were trained aboard or are from outside the U.S. apply to this program?
Yes, all are welcome to apply as long as the Candidate meets immigration eligibility requirements. Please refer to previous question, “Do I meet the citizenship qualifications?”.
What does multi-institutional or multi-disciplinary mean with regards to the mentors named on my application?
- Multi-institutional Mentors: means that at least two mentors must be from different CTSC partner institutions (For example: WCMC and MSKCC). You may also have a mentor from outside of one of the partner institutes but he/she cannot serve as your primary mentor.
- Multidisciplinary Mentors: means having mentors from distinct disciplinary perspectives outside of the biological sciences, such as the behavioral, quantitative, social, computational/information, engineering, and physical sciences. For example: mentor one may be a specialist in Hematology-Oncology and mentor two a Biostatistician.
What is the difference between the K30 Master's Degree Program, the KL2 Scholars Award and the TL1 Training Award Programs?
K30 - The K30 Master's Degree Program includes two tracks, the Advanced Certificate track and the Master's degree track. The Advanced Certificate track is a one year program with 22 credits of didactic coursework. For students who choose the Master's Degree Track (Track II), this program combines the didactic coursework of the Advanced Certificate track plus elective coursework with a mentored clinical research project, conducted under the tutelage of a team of established clinical investigators, is an integral part of their training.
During the first year, the trainees meet with chosen mentors to refine a research proposal. In the second year of CTEP, trainees will utilize the skills acquired from the previous year's core curriculum coursework to conduct their research project on the Clinical & Translational Science Center, which requires a 75% time and effort commitment.
KL2 - The primary objective of the KL2 Scholars award program is to provide junior faculty and senior fellows who have already earned a doctorate degree with 75% protected time (50% for surgeons) to pursue training and mentored research in Clinical and Translational Investigation.
TL1 - The primary aims of the TL1 Training Award is to expose students to Clinical and Translational research before their interests and paths are set, enabling them to move into Clinical and Translational research early on in their careers. Provide 100% protected time to pursue training in Clinical and Translational Investigation.
Do I qualify for the K30 Master's Degree Program, KL2 Scholars Award or TL1 Training Award Programs?
K30 is open to Medical students and Medical Doctors (MDs), MD/PhDs, senior residents, fellows, Post-doctoral PhDs seeking a career in clinical and translational research, Dentists with Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degrees, Faculty members from any of the partnering CTSC institutions, PhD candidates in Nursing School, those with Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), and Doctorate of Science in Nursing (DNS) degrees, Certified Physicians' Assistants and Clinical Research Project Coordinators
KL2 is open to Senior fellows, Residents and fellows in the Internal Medicine research pathway, PhDs, Junior faculty (instructor or assistant professor), Nurses who currently hold DSN, DPT, or PhD degrees, All candidates must be US citizens or Non-Citizen Nationals, or Permanent Resident. All candidates must have primary appointment at a CTSC partner institution, must have the ability to devote 75% effort (50% for surgeons) to CTEP for up to 2 years. No Scholar may have two concurrent CTSC awards, no Scholar may be named on more than one active CTSC application. Individuals who were, or currently are a Principal Investigator in NIH R01, R29, P01, K01, K08, K22 and K23 grant are not eligible.
TL1 Students must have received a baccalaureate degree by the date of appointment. If the Student is a Pre-Doc medical student they must be in their 3rd or 4th year. It is also open to graduate students in a doctoral degree program, nursing candidates for DSN or DNP and Dental (DDS) and Pharmacy (PharmD) students. Individual trainees may receive no more than 5 years of aggregate NRSA support at the pre-doctoral level.
What are the components of the K30 application?
- Application fee.
- Proof of immigration status.
- Career Statement describing area of Clinical & Translational research interest and career goals.
- Official Academic transcripts from each post-secondary school attended.
- Three (3) letters of recommendations from faculty involved in Candidate’s training or professionals who can speak to Candidate’s research experience. Please use the form provided.
- If applying for the Track II, Master’s Degree, one of the three letters of recommendations must be submitted by a Department Chair supporting 80% protected time devoted to the mentored research project during the 2nd year of training.
- For post-doctoral fellows, one of the three letters of recommendations must be submitted by the candidate’s supervisor stating that the candidate will be supported for the duration of CTEP study and given time for the candidate to attend classes.
- If relevant, a copy of any scientific thesis or relevant publications from earlier training.
Do the K30 MS and Advanced Certificate Program have a rolling admission policy?
The CTEP Committee of Admissions does not have a rolling admission policy.
What is your policy on deferring admission after I've been accepted to the K30 MS and Advanced Certificate Program?
Accepted students who would like to apply for deferral must write to the CTEP Program Office stating their reason for requesting deferral and their proposed plans for the duration of the deferral. If approved, the deferral is typically granted for one year. The Admissions Committee is generally supportive of proposals that provide for participation in intellectually rewarding opportunities and service programs during the time of deferral from the CTEP.
Can I apply to both the K30 Advanced Certificate Program and the Master’s Degree Program?
Students may apply to the Advanced Certificate Track or the MS Track, but not both.
If I apply for the Certificate in Clinical Investigation (Track I), can I then, at a later time, apply to transfer into the Master's Degree Program (Track II)?
Yes, you may apply to Track I first, and at a later time apply to transfer to Track II. To apply you will need to complete the application for the Master's track in the electronic protocol
authoring and review system (ePAR). The application for the Master's program, while similar to the Certificate application, has a few notable differences: Your letters of recommendation must
come from your proposed mentors and you will need to submit a 1-page research proposal in NEJM style abstract format. If you would like to have your name added to our request of application (RFA)
list or have any questions please email the CTEP office at ctsc_k30@med.cornell.edu.
- Cover letter addressed to the Program Director stating reason for continuing onto Track II.
- Recommendation and commitment letters from 2 mentors whom you will work with on this project.
- Letter from your Division Chief stating that you will be guaranteed 80% protected time for your mentored research project.
- 1-page description of the clinical research project you plan to conduct if accepted into the Master’s Track (including a description of the research topic and data source).
- How and when you plan to complete each research milestone (see attached milestones guideline), along with the names of your proposed faculty experts who will evaluate your Master’s Thesis.
What are the requirements for successful completion of the Advanced Certificate Program?
You will obtain a Certificate of Clinical Investigation after successful completion of the following core courses:
- Bioinformatics Workshop
- Clinical Trials Design and Analysis
- Data Management for Clinical Research
- Foundations of Clinical Research
- Foundations of Epidemiology
- Grant Writing and Scientific Journalism
- Research Grant Writing
- Introduction to Biostatistics in Clinical Research
- Molecular Biology and Genetics in Clinical Research
- Principles of Clinical Pharmacology
- Tri-Institutional Responsible Conduct of Research
What are the requirements for successful completion of the Master’s (DegreeTrack II) in Clinical Investigation?
- Completion of didactic training (Core and Elective Courses)
- 75% or higher rate of attendance to all core and elective courses
- Satisfactory performance on written examinations in core and elective courses
- 75% time and effort devoted to performing and completing a mentored clinical & translational research project
- A grant submission to the NIH or other funding agency requiring peer-reviewed funding with the trainee as the Principal Investigator, or an article submitted to a high-quality, peer-reviewed, scientific journal
- Presentation of mentored research project at the annual research symposium, grand rounds, or a national or international conference
- Thesis successfully defended at the Master’s Examining Committee (MEC).
What career opportunities are available once I have a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation?
One of the Program’s objectives is to provide the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to apply for funding grants as an independent researcher to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or other funding agencies (R21, R01, K23, or other NIH funding mechanism). While there is no one particular career path taken upon graduation, rather, students have a wide spectrum of career opportunities, some go on to become independent researchers, others become faculty members, and there are those who simply benefit from boosting their clinical and translational research expertise in their current field/profession.
Please visit http://grants1.nih.gov/training/ for information about research training and research career opportunities available through the NIH and http://www.ncrr.nih.gov/about_us/job_opportunities/ for information about job opportunities from the National Center for Research Resources.
Can I audit CTEP courses?
To inquire about auditing or enrolling as a special student, please email CTSC_K30@med.cornell.edu.
What if I am unable to meet the effort requirement (75% for K30 or KL2; 100% for TL1)?
How long does the Graduate Program in Clinical and Translational Investigation last?
The Master’s Degree in Clinical Investigation Program was designed for flexibility by offering two tracks to encourage participation in Clinical & Translational research at different levels.
- Track I: a one-year program consisting of a core curriculum resulting in an Advanced Certificate in Clinical Investigation.
- Track II: a two-year program consisting of a core curriculum, elective courses, and a mentored Clinical & Translational research project resulting in a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Investigation.
Can candidates applying for a CTSA KL2 appointment also apply for additional mentored K awards (i.e., K08 or K23)?
- The trans-NIH policy stipulates that K12 candidates may not apply or have pending an application for a similar mentored K award (i.e., K23) simultaneously. However, appointed K12 scholars supported through institutional K12 (and KL2) awards may apply for K08, K23 support. If they are successful, they then move from one mechanism to the other.
Can a candidate who has submitted K23 application but has not received a score or has been informed that he or she has an unfundable score apply for a KL2 appointment?
- Both the KL2/K12 and K23 academic awards are geared for more junior candidates who are interested in developing academic and research expertise. This serves as a conflict for applicants wanting to apply to several K awards where the research training and didactic coursework are essentially the same. Therefore, someone who has submitted a K23 but has not received a score or summary statement may not submit a KL2 application that essentially duplicates the provisions and research proposal of the submitted K23 until the funding status of that K23 award is known. Even if the candidate receives an unfundable score, there may still be a pending decision. There is still a possibility that the grant may receive a recommendation for high program priority by CTEP staff, and the grant may be funded. Therefore, the candidate must be certain that a grant is unfundable. (It would be optimal to have that statement in writing.) If the K23 is funded, then no KL2 application may be submitted, and if the K23 is not funded, then an identical KL2 application may be submitted (assuming no other identical K23 application has been resubmitted).
As a KL2 Scholar, can I receive concurrent sources of support?
The NIH has a specific policy on receiving concurrent support as a PI of an NIH R01 and a K Career Development Award in the last two years of a K, which can be reviewed here:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-od-08-065.html
