# Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2024 · $162,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Clinician scientists, and physician scientists in particular, are needed to advance the translational
research agenda. This is particularly true in rehabilitation, where the evidence base to support
practice is under-developed. The Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program (RMSTP)
aims to identify and recruit a diverse group of physician candidates for research careers in
rehabilitation; to optimally prepare those candidates to develop a competitive mentored career
development funding application; to support productivity during training and facilitate a
transition to scientific independence. To achieve these aims, the RMSTP, in collaboration with
the Association of Academic Physiatrists conducts an annual 3-day Research Career
Development (RCD) Workshop, supplemented by quarterly small group teleconferences
throughout the year, to support continued progress and productivity. The RMSTP is divided into
4 phases, which are reflected in content tracks in the RCD workshop and in the focus of the
teleconferences. The pre-applicant phase helps participants define their area of research interest
and identify suitable local mentors. The applicant phase provides guidance, including critical
peer review, on developing competitive applications for career development funding. The funded
fellow phase provides support to maximize productivity in training, including critical peer
review of research applications, and to apply that training to rehabilitation problems Finally, the
graduate phase provides ongoing support, as needed, to facilitate the transition to independence
and continue to develop their research programs. Didactic and hands-on training at the RCD
Workshop is provided by a diverse multidisciplinary Program Faculty consisting of successful
extramurally funded rehabilitation researchers focused on a broad range of basic and applied
topics. Quarterly small-group teleconferences are led by one of 4 Executive Committee members
all of whom are experienced and well-funded rehabilitation researchers and mentors. The
RMSTP, which had great success in the current cycle, has designed evaluation and continuous
quality improvement methods aimed at the RCD Workshop content, the diversity and quality of
the applicant pool, and the aggregate results of training with respect to key benchmarks of
scientific productivity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10934776
- **Project number:** 2R25HD098048-06A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHAEL L. BONINGER
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $162,000
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2019-04-16 → 2029-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10934776

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10934776, Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program (2R25HD098048-06A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10934776. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*
