# TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCHERS

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2023 · $215,955

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
This is a competitive renewal of a training program to address the shortage of psychiatrist scientists pursuing
careers in basic and clinical research who are positioned to translate dramatic advances in neuroscience and
genetics into clinically-relevant research on pathophysiology and new treatments for psychiatric disorders. An
increasing number of scientifically accomplished residents have abandoned their scientific career goals feeling
daunted by the increasing funding and regulatory challenges associated with research. Accordingly, the UCSF
Research Resident Training Program (RRTP) is pivoting from its historical pursuit of recruiting residents into
research for the first time. Instead, through proactive mentorship and targeted research support, our revised
RRTP will focus resources on fostering the development of a smaller number of accomplished and diverse
residents specifically recruited because of their strong potential and motivation to pursue scientific careers. The
RRTP begins its research training activities during PGY-1; a research project is developed in the PGY-1 or -2
and conducted in PGY-3-4 and, if indicated, into PGY-5-7. In addition to stipend support, the program provides
funding to support resident research projects, professional travel, and formal course work in methodology,
statistics and research ethics. Each trainee is assigned a career mentor who assists them in creating an
individualized learning and development plan, identifying a research mentor, and providing support and advice
about ongoing issues related to career development. In conjunction with formal coursework and hands-on
research experience, networking and career development opportunities are emphasized, as is the successful
integration of clinical and research training. The career development of women and under-represented minority
trainees is specifically emphasized. Research residents participate in ongoing research-related journal clubs, a
works-in-progress dinner series, as well as an interinstitutional Research Retreat that we will rotate between
northern and southern California sites. In addition to our shift toward direct recruitment of promising and
diverse residents directly into 3 research track slots per year, we will introduce other innovations including: 1)
new diversity initiatives, 2) increased protected time and flexibility in clinical rotations to build research
momentum, 3) developing readiness for a faster transition to independence, 4) developing an entrustable
professional activities feedback tool, 5) broadening dissemination of resources and networking to residents
training outside our department, 6) using continuous process improvement in areas such as recruitment and
retreat programming, 7) further innovations in “near-peer” learning, 8) increased grant writing guidance, and 9)
teaching around team science and leadership. Our program’s success in launching independent scientific
careers will be assessed through subjective a...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10626126
- **Project number:** 5R25MH060482-22
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** DANIEL H MATHALON
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $215,955
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2000-07-23 → 2027-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10626126

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10626126, TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCHERS (5R25MH060482-22). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10626126. Licensed CC0.

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