Individual Development Plan

The individual development plan provides a structured framework for systematically identifying training needs and competencies, setting goals, and evaluating annual progress throughout the doctoral program. The plan also helps graduate students prepare for successful post-graduate careers.

Trainees will review the individual development plan with their mentoring team semi-annually to ensure alignment with trainee goals. 

Primary and Co-Mentor Selection

It is required for each trainee be co-mentored by both a basic scientist and a clinician. Check out our current faculty mentors.

Mentoring Compact

T32 program trainees are required to complete a written mentoring compact within the first month of appointment. The compact will outline expectations regarding the following:

• Meeting frequency (at least quarterly)
• Communication preferences (email, text, phone)
• Laboratory responsibilities
• Authorship expectations

Campus Events Participation

Neurology/Neurosurgery Grand Rounds
Each week, faculty members in the departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery meet for grand rounds lectures on evolving areas and new trends in their field. Topics have included vascular disorders, movement disorders, neuromuscular diseases, headaches, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors and spinal cord disorders.

Monthly Trainee Luncheons
These meetings provide a forum for discussing a wide range of topics relevant to young scientists pursuing careers in biomedical research. Recent topics have included “How to Choose a Post-Doctoral Mentor,” “Managing a Grant Budget,” and “Preparing and Submitting a Research Report.” 

Monthly Neuroscience Journal Club Meetings
Neuroscience graduate students organize and lead a monthly Neuroscience Journal club that is attended by T32 program trainees. Participants review and critique original research papers of interest to a broad audience in the neurosciences. 

The student leader invites a neuroscience or rehabilitation science faculty member with relevant expertise to attend and contribute to the discussion. 

Annual Neurorehabilitation T32 Program Retreat
Both full-time and short-term trainees will formally present their research to the advisory committees at the annual program retreat.

KU Medical Center Student Research Forum
Both full-time and short-term trainees are required to present at the annual Student Research Forum held on the KU Medical Center campus each year in April. 

Cross-Discipline Exposure

Clinical Rotation in Neurological Disorders
Basic science trainees are required to participate in at least three half-day clinical rotation sessions with clinicians in neurological disorders. A list of clinical scientists can be found on the faculty mentors page.

For each session, the trainee will select one observed case and prepare a case report summarizing the symptoms, diagnosis (when applicable), and treatment approach. The report also includes a discussion of the neuroscience principles underlying the condition and its treatment, along with a summary of potential research directions that could enhance treatment options. Trainees are encouraged to consult with clinical faculty while preparing these reports

Basic Science Laboratory Tours
Full-time clinical science trainees will gain exposure to basic science laboratories relevant to their research focus. This will be accomplished through trainee-led tours of basic science laboratories, followed by a mini-rotation in the laboratory of a T32. A list of basic science mentors can be found on the faculty mentors page.

Tracking Activities and Accomplishments

Trainees must submit a record of their activities and accomplishments every quarter:

• Seminars attended.
• Presentations given.
• Workshops attended.
• Career development activities.
• Publications:, includes unpublished papers: provide the status of manuscripts as well as the trainee's role in its development.
• Cross-training exposures: provide a short summary detailing what you focused on/learned and how it relates to your research.
• Trainees must create and update a LinkedIn account to assist the Neurological and Rehabilitation Science Training Program in tracking their career activities and accomplishments after graduation. We reserve the right to request this information at any time over the next 15 years. 

Proper Grant Acknowledgement

As a Neurological and Rehabilitation Sciences T32 Program trainee, you will be expected to acknowledge and cite the grant for any and all presentations, publications and posters you do, while funded or after, if the work was performed even in part during your time as an appointee in this program, using the following text:

Research reported in this publication was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number T32HD057850. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

For a listing of recommended electives or general questions, contact T32@kumc.edu.