Teaching and Training HBCU Vision Research Summer Internship Program Undergraduate Opportunities Visual Science Training Program Curriculum For Faculty How to Apply T32 Trainees & Alumni Training Faculty & Staff For Faculty... Home Education Teaching and Training Visual Science Training Program For Faculty Criteria for Appointment as a Trainer (The terms trainer and mentor are used interchangeably in this application) Trainer Status Requirements Trainer status is dependent on: (1) a research related to vision or ophthalmology, (2) a history of training graduate students, and (3) evidence or promise of sufficient funds to continue support of a student after their period of funding by the VSTP grant. Appointments as trainers are determined by the Steering Committee. Faculty members may be nominated to be trainers by currently approved faculty trainers, by prospective VSTP students, or by self-nomination. Steering Committee Eligibility Criteria The Steering Committee decides on the eligibility of faculty to serve as VSTP trainers according to the following criteria: (i) appointment as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor; (ii) active participation in the Visual Sciences Research Center; (iii) funding by at least one national peer-reviewed grant (typically from NEI), and strong likelihood of sustained funding in the future; (iv) record of successfully training predoctoral students; (v) research program conducive to collaborative vision science. Purpose of Requirements The purpose of these requirements for trainer approval is to ensure that students choose the best mentor for their research interests in funded, productive laboratories. Trainer Responsibilities VSTP trainers are required to participate in VSTP seminars and teaching. Affiliated Departments Faculty in our VSTP currently are affiliated with PhD-granting programs in the departments of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Chemistry, Physiology and Biophysics, and Biomedical Engineering. There is the potential to add new faculty as trainers from other degree-granting departments in the future, so long as their research is focused on vision science. Trainer Evaluation Process Trainer Evaluation Process. The VSTP Steering Committee meets annually to review all faculty involved in the training program, according to the following established criteria: (i) has the faculty member devoted a significant amount of time and effort to trainees in his/her laboratory?, (ii) have the trainees in his/her laboratory participated actively in programmatic activities, including journal clubs, seminars, etc.?, (iii) have the trainees in his/her laboratory attended and presented either a poster or oral research presentation at a national meeting on the average of once per year?, (iv) after the first 2 years of training, have the trainees in his/her laboratory advanced to the point where they are preparing a manuscript(s) for publication?, (v) How many of the faculty member’s trainees continue in vision research or scientific careers following completion of training? Continuation Decisions Faculty who do not consistently accomplish these training goals will not be approved for continuation as mentors in the VSTP. Faculty Appointments Trainers have primary or secondary appointments in departments with PhD degree-granting programs, and all faculty share common program and research interests directly related to the broad research objectives of the VSTP. Mentorship Policies & Training Expectations This section outlines the key policies, expectations, and support structures that guide the mentor–trainee relationship within the VSTP. It provides clarity on conflict resolution processes, training objectives, the mentor–student partnership, and requirements for Individual Development Plans (IDPs) to ensure every trainee receives consistent, high-quality guidance throughout their training. Conflict Resolution and Change of Mentor Mentors and Mentees should understand their responsibilities to each other, as outlined by the UCI Graduate Division. For all students in the event of a conflict, the first step is to meet with the graduate advisor for the mentor’s department. If the conflict cannot be resolved at that level, the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies will be consulted, and if needed the office of the Ombudsman at UCI. For training grant awardees, the PI and internal steering committee would be notified, especially if the student wants to change to a different lab. The Steering Committee will consider these circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Training Objectives The goal is to train PhD and MD/PhD candidates who will advance research on the causes, diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment of human eye diseases. Rationale: This is an inter-departmental training program in the visual sciences. Our intent for the VSTP is to (a) provide high quality research training in basic science disciplines that are relevant to vision research and (b) provide opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborative and translational research so that our trainees can skillfully function in an interactive research environment and draw clinical correlates from their basic findings. The Student–Mentor Team Students and mentors will need to create a formal process to meat throughout the year. The initial alignment meeting also involves the program directors and administrative team, where the emphasis is on ensuring that there is agreement regarding establishment of common goals, delineation of trainee-mentor responsibilities, frequency of trainee-mentor meetings, identifying criteria for success including core competencies, effectiveness of the trainee-mentor relationship, and identifying, preventing, and correcting trainee-mentor misalignment. The meetings then will provide an opportunity to review the Individual Development Plans (IDP) of each trainee, and involve assessment of the trainee’s overall research program, career development, quality of mentoring, and competencies. Individual Development Plans (IDP) In response to the NIH expectation (NOT-OD-14-113) for Institutions to develop Individual Development Plans (IDP), the Office of Graduate Studies at UCI has adopted a policy that all PhD students and postdoctoral fellows must complete an IDP within 6 months of arrival in their permanent mentor’s lab. Completing an IDP is an interactive process that involves face-to-face meetings and frank discussions between the trainee and mentor towards promoting trainee academic progress. The IDP will evolve through meetings between mentee and mentor at least once per year. Copies of all graduate student IDPs as well as all annual updates are submitted electronically to the UCI SOM Graduate Education Office. To ensure compliance, Graduate Program Directors in the SOM are notified annually about trainee compliance with this policy.