# Rehabilitation Research Career Development Program

> **NIH NIH K12** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · 2020 · $757,037

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
In response to RFA-HD-17-021, we propose the Rehabilitation Research Career Development Program
(RRCD), a renewal of our current grant (K12 HD-055929) to train rehabilitation scientists who are occupational
and physical therapists. The goal of the RRCD Program is to increase the number of rigorously trained,
extramurally competitive, and scientifically competent rehabilitation scientists who will conduct translational
investigations, lead clinical research teams, and eventually mentor the next generation of occupational and
physical therapy scientists. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), the University of Florida (UF) and
the University of Southern California (USC) will function as a research consortium to achieve this goal. The
consortium includes senior rehabilitation investigators (Lead Mentors) who provide Scholars with the skills and
knowledge necessary to become independent investigators and future leaders in rehabilitation science.
The training program is comprised of two phases. Phase 1 (years 1-3) is designed to provide Scholars with the
foundation needed for a productive career in interdisciplinary rehabilitation research. Scholars will conduct
research at one of the consortium institutions under the supervision of a Lead Mentor and collaborate with
members of an interdisciplinary translational team in their area of research interest. Each Scholar will prepare
an Individualized Career Development Plan based on their past training and recommendations from the Lead
Mentor and research team. The plan will consist of structured didactic training involving research methodology,
specialized courses and seminars, and mentored grant writing experiences. In Phase 1, Scholars will acquire
research experience, generate, analyze, present and publish research data, and become equipped to compete
for independent external funding (e.g., NIH R21, R34, or R01 grants).
In Phase 2 (years 4-5), RRCD Scholars will transition to independent researcher positions. Scholars will
continue to devote 50-75% effort to research and remain associated with the Lead Mentor and members of the
research team, but will no longer receive salary support from the K12 award per the RFA instructions. The
mentor-based training model takes advantage of the excellent resources at the consortium institutions (e.g.,
NIH and NIDILRR career development programs, NIH-funded research centers, and Clinical and Translational
Science Awards). Eighty percent of the RRCD Scholars who are currently in Phase 2, or completed the
program, have obtained external funding from federal, foundation, or industry sources as an independent
investigator.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10003353
- **Project number:** 5K12HD055929-14
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
- **Principal Investigator:** DAVID A BROWN
- **Activity code:** K12 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $757,037
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2007-09-25 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10003353

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10003353, Rehabilitation Research Career Development Program (5K12HD055929-14). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10003353. Licensed CC0.

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