Program Components

Didactic Curriculum
 
The didactic component of the K12 Program provides a forum for multi- and inter-disciplinary education in translational clinical research.  The current K12 Program offers a core curriculum in clinical investigation, including courses in human subjects protection, responsible conduct of research, statistical design, methodology of clinical investigation, protocol writing, grant writing, leadership, and communication.
 
The K12 curriculum aligns training efforts throughout City of Hope and integrates educational and scientific technology to increase efficiency and educational impact.  The use of technologically advanced, user-friendly, web-based platforms enables K12 Scholars to view instructional content, easily collaborate with educators or other scholars, evaluate performance, and access a multitude of learning resources with flexibility.  K12 course lectures will be captured on video and archived on the Canvas Learning Management system, providing a portal for scholars to review lecture materials on demand (a supplement resource, as scholars are required to attend class lectures).

Career Development Plans

Over the course of the first year in the K12 Program, the Scholar, along with their clinical and laboratory mentors, will develop a written Career Development Plan, which will be presented for approval to the K12 Advisory Committee prior to the completion of year one of the K12 Program.  The Career Development Plan includes the scholar’s individualized plan for didactic curriculum and elective courses, planned professional development activities, trainings and certifications, specific areas of interest, research goals, research project aims, and a detailed plan for carrying out their proposed research.

Research Seminars and Career Development Activities

Every six months, K12 Scholars will provide a formal presentation of their research progress to the K12 Advisory Committee, their mentors, and fellow K12 Scholars, soliciting critical assessment and advice.  All K12 Scholars will submit biannual written progress reports summarizing their academic, clinical, and research progress, as well as professional development efforts.
 
K12 Scholars also continue their training experience throughout their tenure by attending research seminars and participating in tumor boards, disease-site research meetings, and COHCCC Program retreats, as well as expanding their specific supervised clinical research. K12 Scholars will attend presentations and seminars on a variety of topics aimed at enhancing career development.  These presentations, which will utilize both internal City of Hope faculty and external subject matter experts as speakers, will cover a wide range of topics, such as grant writing, protocol development, manuscript publication, leadership, and team science. 

Mentorship

Developing a successful cancer research career requires strong relationships with mentors and a research team.  City of Hope’s K12 Program is highly multidisciplinary, with scholars benefitting from the expertise of mentors across a number of clinical, translational, and basic science disciplines.
 
Each K12 Scholar will select both a clinical and a laboratory mentor upon entrance into the K12 Program. Clinical and laboratory mentors will be selected on the basis of the trainee’s initial area of research interest. These mentors are directly responsible for the day-to-day activities and progress of each K12 Scholar’s research program, evaluating his or her progress, and serving as role models.  Each mentor must meet the following criteria:
 
  • Hold a senior-level position (Associate Professor or above)
  • Have a track record in transmission of clinical or laboratory research through peer-reviewed publications
  • Have a strong research program with peer-reviewed support
  • Be a member of and exhibit leadership within a COHCCC Research Program
  • Have an R01 or equivalent funding