This program supports early-career clinical researchers in becoming independent investigators by providing salary support for protected time to conduct scholarly activities and assistance in developing a mentoring team. Eligible candidates are NNE-CTR members who are junior faculty (assistant professor or equipvalent) with clinically relevant degrees (e.g. MD, DO, PhD, PharmD, SScD, PsyD, NP, RN). To learn more about becoming a Clinical Scholar, contact the PD Core lead from your institution.

This network brings together clinical research coordinators and other research professionals from the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, MaineHealth Institute for Research, Boston University, Boston Medical College, University of Florida and the Medical University of South Carolina in monthly interactive workshops about clinical research.

This ECHO series is a knowledge-sharing forum via monthly Zoom sessions. This is a great networking opportunity that features didactic and case presentations by colleagues sharing their research and engaging in lively problem-solving discussions.

This is a live, in-person training workshop, held in a two-day format. Piloted at MaineHealth in April 2024, it will be held annually to prepare researchers to take on the role of principal investigators. The workshop includes interactive discussions about PI responsibilities, protocol evaluation and implementation, budgets and negotiation, recruitment and retention, adverse event reporting and audit readiness, and leading study teams. The pre-work for this live training includes six web-based modules which can be viewed at anytime. Contact the PD Core lead for information on the upcoming spring session. 

Our research navigation services provide investigators with scientific partners to assist them at any phase of a research project, from conceptualization and study design, funding procurement, project conduct, data analysis, and publication of research results. Navigators can be found in several of the NNE-CTR Cores, (i.e. BERD, CEO) and here in our Professional Development Core.

The NNE-CTR collaborates with many institutions and organizations across our region and nationally to share resources and training opportunities that will benefit our members. These resources cover topics such as research activity, professional development, and effective communication practices.

Research Resources

• Group-Randomized Trials: This 7-part online course from the NIH helps researchers design and analyze effective and impactful group-randomized trials.
• Mind the Gap: This webinar series from the NIH explores research design, measurement, intervention, data analysis, and other methods of interest in prevention science.
• NIH Center for Scientific Review: Get guidance on how to prepare grant proposals and projects for NIH funding.
• Pathways to Prevention: P2P workshops use an unbiased, evidence-based process to identify research gaps in a scientific area of broad public health importance. Each workshop focuses on a disease prevention topic with limited or underdeveloped research and a need for a critical assessment of the evidence.
• Research Training Kiosk: Learn about the many types of grants and awards offered by the NIH to help advance research and careers in research.
• OBSSR Trainings: Browse free online trainings from the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences at NIH that address current training needs in the field.

Professional Development Resources

• DIAMOND: DIAMOND is a collaborative discovery learning space for clinical research professionals where you can access or share competency based training offerings and assessments for workforce development
• I-Trep at UVM: The I-Trep program at the University of Vermont provides education and skill development in entrepreneurship to facilitate the generation and competitiveness of biomedical businesses and to foster economic growth in IDeA states
• Research Professionals Network: This UVM program provides professional development opportunities for research professionals through trainings, workshops, seminars, discussion groups, and other educational events
• Tufts I LEARN: The Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute interactive education website, I Learn, offers a comprehensive library of educational courses in clinical and translational research for professional development.

Are you affiliated with one of our lead or partnering institutions? Browse their professional development offerings at the pages linked below.

• MaineHealth (lead institution)
• University of Vermont (lead institution)
• Dartmouth (partner institution)
• University of Southern Maine (partner institution)

Project ECHO 

ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) provides an excellent learning opportunity for researchers and physicians. The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services defines Project ECHO as "a collaborative model of medical education and care management that helps clinicians provide expert-level care to patients wherever they live. Using video-conferencing technology to train, advise, and support primary care providers, Project ECHO increases access to specialty treatment in rural and underserved areas for a variety of conditions." NNE-CTR members may join ECHO sessions at no cost. 

You can access NNE-CTR partner ECHO sessions here:

• Maine: https://www.mainehealth.org/health-care-professionals/project-echo
• New Hampshire: https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/project-echo
• Vermont: https://www.med.uvm.edu/ahec/healthprofessionals/continuing-education-and-quality-improvement/project-echo

Communication Resources

• Alda Kavli Learning Center: Browse a wide array of free webinars from the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science.
• Health Equity Communication Principles: The CDC’s Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication are intended to help public health professionals ensure their communication products and strategies adapt to the specific cultural, linguistic, environmental, and historical situation of each population or audience of focus.
• Health Literacy & Public Health: Provided by the New York-New Jersey Public Health Training Center, this training introduces the concept of health literacy and demonstrates how the public’s literacy skills affect interactions with health care providers and public health professionals.
• LA CATS Health Literacy Core: Provided by the Louisiana CTR, these free tools and webinars are aimed at improving communication skills with patients.
• Plain Language Trainings: This list contains a wide variety of freely available online trainings in using plain language to effectively convey complex information.

Accessibility Resources

• Coblis Colorblind Simulator: This simulator lets you test whether your images, figures, and graphics are easily visible across the colorblindness spectrum.
• Readability Analyzer: Writing a grant, abstract, or piece you want to be less jargonized and more easily readable? Use this tool to assess the complexity and readability of any written piece.
• UVM Accessibility Overview: The Web Accessibility Overview contains resources, guides, and checklists that will help you make your presentations, papers, and other content accessible.
• Web Accessibility Initiative: The WAI Accessibility Overview provides extensive resources and trainings on best practices for ensuring web-based content meets accessibility guidelines.