EXPRESS: Impact of the mentor relationship, curriculum effectiveness, and career factors on the success of the KL2 program in fostering research career development among scholars.

Abstract

The National Institute of Health (NIH) Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) KL2 Mentored Career Development Programs purpose is to facilitate career transition for junior faculty and postdoctoral fellows. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai internally tracks the progress of its scholars. Therefore, trainees might feel less inclined to openly discuss their challenges or successes, potentially due to concerns about privacy or fear of repercussions. This study aims to assess the impact of KL2 programs on scholars' career progression, with a focus on mentorship and curriculum effectiveness. A survey was designed to evaluate scholar experiences and outcomes, encompassing metrics on career satisfaction, program experience, and mentorship quality. The participant group included 32 former KL2 scholars who graduated from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai prior to 2024. Quantitative and qualitative analysis were utilized to evaluate the relationships between program elements, such as mentor-mentee relationships, program experiences, and career satisfaction factors. Overall, a response rate of 53.1% (17/32) was achieved. A significant majority of participants (70.6%) emphasized the extreme importance of mentor-mentee relationships in facilitating their career success. Participants expressed overall satisfaction with the program but desired enhanced skills in grant writing and statistics. Burnout and work-life balance challenges were reported by 74% (11/15) of the responders. Our findings revealed that mentor-mentee relationships have a major impact on future career success. Mentor accessibility, additional competencies, and skills to manage work-life balance can further facilitate long term success of KL2 program scholars.