Teaching principles of translational science to a broad scientific audience using a case study approach: A pilot course from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

Abstract

There are numerous examples of translational science innovations addressing challenges in the translational process, accelerating progress along the translational spectrum, and generating solutions relevant to a wide range of human health needs. Examining these successes through an education lens can identify core principles and effective practices that lead to successful translational outcomes. The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) is identifying and teaching these core principles and practices to a broad audience via online courses in translational science which teach from case studies of NCATS-led or supported research initiatives. In this paper, we share our approach to the design of these courses and offer a detailed description of our initial course, which focused on a preclinical drug discovery and development project spanning academic and government settings. Course participants were from a variety of career stages and institutions. Participants rated the course high in overall value to them and in providing a unique window into the translational science process. We share our model for course development as well as initial findings from the course evaluation with the goal of continuing to stimulate development of novel education activities teaching foundational principles in translational science to a broad audience.

Evaluation of an online case study-based course in translational science for a broad scientific audience: Impacts on students’ knowledge, attitudes, planned scientific activities, and career goals

“…Additional details about the course are provided in a companion article, which also includes the course syllabus and other teaching materials, as well as initial findings about student characteristics and satisfaction with the course design [5]. More information also can be found on the NCATS Education Branch webpages at https://ncats.nih.gov/training-education/resources.…”

“…"MEDI 501: Principles of Preclinical Translational Science: A Case Study from Cancer Drug Discovery and Development" was a 7-week one-credit online course designed by the NCATS Education Branch and offered in both summer and fall 2020 through a partnership with the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES) located at the NIH [5].…”

“…Zoom and similar platforms have made recording lectures a low-cost endeavor, and these courses can then be offered repeatedly with minimal effort, reaching large numbers of students with few additional investments over and above up-front investments (e.g., minimal annual updates based on student feedback or progress in the case at the center of the course). For additional guidance on teaching case study-based courses in TS, please see our companion articles on development and implementation of the MEDI 501 course [5] and proposed core content for TS education [1].…”

“…In 2020, the Education Branch of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), piloted a short course in TS concepts including scientific and operational principles for success and examples of how these principles are implemented in practice. The course was created as a proof of concept to test the effectiveness of an online format and case study-based teaching approach to convey TS concepts to a broad scientific audience [5].…”

“…It also analyzed key outcomes by students' backgrounds with relevance to the course content. Here, we briefly describe the coursewhich is described in greater detail in a separate publication [5] and provide a detailed summary of the evaluation design and findings. We end with a discussion of the implications of these findings for developing, implementing, and evaluating future education opportunities in TS.…”