# SCISIPBIO: Training Leaders - Professional Development, Mental Health, Mentoring

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2021 · $209,925

## Abstract

The overall goal of this proposal is to examine the role of three critical components of graduate training in
determining successful outcomes. We hypothesize that important factors which impact career outcomes
 and job satisfaction include participation in: a) professional development (PD), b) mental health and
 wellness of trainees, and c) mentor-mentee match. We will also measure and account for the potential
 explanatory effects of existing individual factors including intersectional identities (underrepresented
 status in the sciences; e.g., race, gender, LGBTQIA, first generation). Collectively, this evidence-based
 evaluation will be critical as institutions decide how to focus limited resources to improve the training
 environment and effectively train the biomedical workforce and future scientific leaders. AIM 1: Determine
 the impact of PD training on career outcomes. We hypothesize that PD participation increases motivation
 to efficiently complete training. However, a counter-hypothesis is that participation in PD will distract and
 demotivate students, leading to fewer publications and longer time to degrees for graduate students.
 Furthermore, we hypothesize that participation in advanced PD activities (experiential learning) will lead to
 a higher proportion of placements that match the chosen career field experienced. Trends identified at
local and national levels will provide robust data to determine if experiential learning impacts career
 placement in the field of choice. AIM 2: Measure the impact of PD participation and engagement on
 trainee mental health. We hypothesize that participating in PD activities will improve mental health during
training as evidenced by lower rates of depression and anxiety. Mental health measures will include
 anxiety, depression, suicidality; and wellness will include global positive affect and satisfaction with life.
 We will test if increases in career self-efficacy mediates the effect of PD on mental health and well-being.
 AIM 3: Determine the impact of mentor-mentee match on scientific leadership career outcomes. We aim
 to define and measure mentor-mentee match by creating a novel survey metric; we hypothesize that a
 better mentor/mentee match on values, characteristics, and/or traits will lead to greater persistence in
graduate training (greater graduation rates, shorter time to degree, higher productivity) and persistence in
science careers (greater proportion of trainees who continue on to science-related/research-intensive
careers and leadership in the scientific enterprise, broadly defined).
RELEVANCE (See instructions):
 The impact of training environment support for professional development, mental health and well-being,
 and mentor-mentee match impact not only individual career outcomes but also the development of the
 biomedical workforce more broadly. We aim to catalyze policy change institutionally, locally and
 nationally, to drive development of the biomedical workforce.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10247090
- **Project number:** 5R01GM140282-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** PATRICK J BRENNWALD
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $209,925
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10247090

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10247090, SCISIPBIO: Training Leaders - Professional Development, Mental Health, Mentoring (5R01GM140282-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10247090. Licensed CC0.

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