National grand rounds for predoctoral and postdoctoral translational science trainees: The William Schnaper Visiting Scientist Grand Rounds (WSVS-GR) program

Abstract

This report highlights the design, implementation, and key lessons from the William Schnaper Visiting Scientist (WSVS) Program, developed to foster scientific exchange among predoctoral and postdoctoral Translational Science (TS) Trainees across Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs. Trainees were part of TL1 and T32 CTSA programs funded by the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. The WSVS program includes three complementary training opportunities: Mini-Symposium, Debate Forum, and Grand Rounds (GR) which is the subject of this report. The GR program provides advanced trainees with opportunities to present their research at another CTSA institution through a virtual forum, offering national-level exposure and constructive feedback from experts. In addition to formal presentations, participants engage in personalized, one-on-one meetings with faculty members at the host institution, gaining insights into other academic cultures and expanding their professional networks. We surveyed trainees and host institutions who participated in the program using single-and multiple-response items, Likert scales, and short open-text response questions. Survey respondents were overwhelmingly positive; all trainees recommended the program to peers and affirmed the value of the program. This demonstrates a scalable approach to enhancing TS education, advancing professional development, and promoting a more interconnected biomedical research community.