University of Michigan K12 Career Development Program in Emergency Critical Care

My Perspective as a K12 Scholar

I am an emergency intensivist with longstanding research interest in neuroprotection and prognostication after cardiac arrest. Since 2017, I have had the privilege of working with senior mentors in cardiac arrest and translational research as a K12 Scholar in Emergency Critical Care at the University of Michigan. My research project focuses on the role of high-dose valproic acid for neuroprotection after cardiac arrest, with plan of translating our findings from swine cardiac arrest model to early phase clinical trials. My project has been supported by my mentors and collaborators from the Departments of Emergency Medicine, Surgery, and the Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care (MCIRCC). In addition to 75% protected time and research support, the K12 program offers unique networking opportunities through the annual NIH Trans-K12 meetings and other national conferences. Furthermore, I have developed my grant writing skills through Michigan Institute of Clinical & Health Research K writing workshop, mock study section, and R01 boot camp. Finally, there are opportunities to pursue advanced research degrees such as the Master’s Program in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis. This article highlights our unparalleled career development program.

Program Highlights

The University of Michigan offers a 3-year NIH-funded multidisciplinary career development program for advanced training in emergency critical care research. This program is housed in MCIRCC, a comprehensive research enterprise devoted to transforming critical care medicine by accelerating science from bench to bedside. Scholars may choose mentoring teams led by nationally known senior clinician scientists in emergency medicine, pulmonary and critical care, neurology, general and trauma surgery, cardiovascular disease, biomedical engineering, and biostatistics. Trainees gain an understanding of all phases of emergency critical care research and practice in a collaborative culture underscoring the interdependence of excellence in direct patient care and clinical research.

Mentors guide scholars in designing individual development plans and achieving milestones, including academic courses, professional development training, expert consultations, and research to produce preliminary data for research project funding. Commitment of faculty across Michigan Medicine, as well as other schools at the University of Michigan, strengthens this program.

The goal is for program graduates to obtain individual K or R01 funding by the end of the third year of K12 support.

How It Works

• We recruit junior faculty with diverse backgrounds and demonstrated commitment to emergency critical care clinical research and innovative approaches to diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of patients manifesting cardiovascular/neurovascular/pulmonary diseases, sepsis, or trauma.  
• We pair each scholar with a multidisciplinary mentoring team that will tailor a customized three-year career development plan.
• We offer comprehensive on-the-job/on-campus clinical research training leading to an S. in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis (CRDSA) offered for clinician-scientists.
• Scholars advance toward independent research careers through additional didactic training in clinical trial design and oversight, data safety and monitoring, data management and security, scientific writing, grant writing, technology development, scientific presentations, responsible conduct of research, and leadership.
• Scholars are immersed in a diverse campus network of collaborating critical care researchers, stimulating scholarly discussion and ideation, and clinical patient care.
• We monitor and improve program quality and effectiveness through a combination of metrics, active feedback, and post-program career tracking.

What Trainees Gain

• Broad knowledge and training in modern clinical and translational science
• Coursework to address gaps in scientific training
• Opportunity to pursue an S. in CRDSA
• Didactic and experiential training in intellectual/philosophical approaches to modern investigation and technology development
• Improved scientific and grant writing skills
• Enhanced research mentoring and leadership skills
• Integrations with MCIRCC, the Cardiovascular Center Clinical Research (C3RG) Group, and other relevant multidisciplinary University of Michigan research centers

Annual Funding

• $100,000 salary (plus benefits)
• $25,000 supply budget
• $2,500 travel budget

How to Apply

Please visit here for more information about the program.

Click here to submit letter of interest and CV. We are currently accepting applications for a flexible start date.

Program Co-Directors

David J. Pinsky, M.D. (U-M Samuel Frankel Cardiovascular Center)

Robert Neumar, M.D., Ph.D. (U-M Emergency Medicine)

Questions? 

Contact Denise Poirier or call 734-647-4751.

This program is funded by NIH grant #1K12HL133304-01

Cindy Hsu, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care Surgery
University of Michigan