The Hispanic Alliance of Clinical and Translational Research (The Alliance) continues supporting investigators at different career stages through the Scientific Communication in Clinical and Translational Research post-doctoral certificate. This initiative was designed to provide individual coaching, knowledge, and tools to investigators to master their scientific writing skills for manuscript publication.
About the Post-doctoral Certificate
The 1st certificate offered during the academic year 2023-2024 was sponsored by the Professional Development Core (PDC) of The Alliance and the Hispanics-In-Research Capability: SoHP & SoM Partnership (HiREC). Even though it is regularly offered online through Zoom synchronic sessions and self-directed learning, in-person meetings were incorporated this year. Dr. Estela S. Estapé, Professor and Senior Advisor for the post-doctoral Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Research, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus (UPR-MSC), and Director of the Research Center, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine is the professor and coach.
The certificate is open to early- to mid-career investigators from diverse disciplines within the clinical and translational research spectrum who have data ready to be disseminated. The course objectives are to 1) understand the importance of authorship, acknowledgments, and conflict of interest, 2) learn how to review a manuscript, and 3) complete a scientific manuscript ready for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. In addition, participants have the opportunity to serve as reviewers of their peers as part of the course experience. A 54-hour Certificate of Participation is awarded upon evidence of submitting the manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal.
Table 1. Profile of Participants, Group 1, 2023-2024 (n=5)| Trainee Name | Highest Degree | Institutional Affiliation | Position | Research Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luz Arroyo Cruz | PhD Environmental Sciences | Universidad Central del Caribe | Investigator/Researcher | Cancer |
| Jessica Hernández Marrero | PhD Nursing | UPR-Medical Sciences Campus | Study Coordinator | Cancer |
| Keimari Méndez | MD, Ob Gyn Mac CTR | UPR-Medical Sciences Campus | Professor | Cancer |
| Jose Colón | PhD Pharmacology | UPR-Medical Sciences Campus | Associate Professor | Neurosciences |
| Bárbara Riestra Candelaria | PhD Anatomy | Universidad Central del Caribe | Assistant Professor | Diabetes Type 2 and Obesity |
COURSE EXPERIENCE
All participants were very satisfied or satisfied with the organization, content, time distribution, number of sessions, duration, self-directed learning, synchronic, in-person, and virtual meetings of the certificate, as well as the professor’s teaching strategies, availability, and expertise. All participants indicated that all course objectives were “completely accomplished.” Graph 1 shows the course’s impact on participants.
Graph 1. Course Impact among Participants Group 1, 2023-2024 (n=5)
| Dimension | Luz Arroyo | Jessica Hernández | Keimari Méndez | José Colón | Barbara Riestra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Title Or Tentative Title | Selective Antineoplastic Potential of Fractionated Caribbean Native Ganoderma Species Extracts On Triple- Negative Breast Cancer Cells | Confronting a positive result of the genetic test for hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes: patient experiences | Polymorphisms of Toll-like Receptors 4 and 9 as biomarkers for severe cervical dysplasia and high-risk HPV infection | PNU-120596 Prevents Weight gain and Fat accumulation in a "childhood" mouse model of Diet-Induced Obesity. | Ultrasound hepatomegaly and Metabolic associated fatty liver disease among a cohort of pediatric patients: a pilot project |
| Journal Name | Pharmaceuticals | Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing | Lower Genital tract disease | MDPI Biology | Frontiers |
| Authors | Arroyo-Cruz, Luz V; Sagardía- González, Sebastian; Miller, Kurt; Ling, Taotao; Rivas; Fatima; Martínez-Montemayor, Michelle M. | Hernández- Marrero, Jessica, PhD, CON, RN; Figueroa-Ramos, Milagros I., RN, PhD, FCCM; Pérez-Mayoral, Julyann PhD; Rivero-Méndez, Marta DNS, CGG; Cruz-Correa, Marcia R, MD, PhD; Irene-Lopez, Lourdes C., PhD, RN, MSN | Méndez, Keimari Rosario,Ana Martínez, Magaly Pérez, Naydi Rivera, Alejandro Romaguera, Josefina Godoy, Filipa | Cotto-Ríos, Sonnieliz; Román- Rivera, Victor; López-Hernández, Cindy; Lasalde-Dominnici, José; Colón-Sáez, José | Riestra-Candelaria, Bárbara L.; Rodríguez-Mojica, Wilma; Vélez, Camille; Ramírez; Claudia; Alvarado, Ariana; Camareno, Gabriel; González- Rodríguez, Loida |
| Main Research Area | Cancer | Cancer | Cancer | Cardiovascular/ metabolic | Cardiovascular/ metabolic |
Note. We celebrate Dr. Arroyo’s successful publication (PMCID: PMC11279663) and all the other extraordinary investigators submitting their manuscripts in the following months.
Group 1 203-2024 trainees in their last in-person meeting held on May 10, 2024, at The Alliance’s facilities. In this photo (from left to right): Dr. Luz Arroyo (front), Dr. Jessica Hernández, Dr. Keimari Méndez, Dr. Estela Estapé (professor), Dr. José Colón, and Dr. Karen Pabón (PDC coordinator).
CONTRIBUTIONS TO RESEARCH AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
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“At this stage of development that I am in, it is very important to have several articles published… the course was essential to continue my professional advancement.”
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“My experience was enriching since I had the opportunity to acquire skills to evaluate an article, while learning about another research topics different from mine.”
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“I was very pleased to have the experience of reviewing a colleague’s article. Also, the course book was very helpful.”
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“It was helpful to develop the manuscript in parts and have continuous feedback.”
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“Improve my reviewing skills and broaden my scope to other types of articles.”
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“Having feedback is invaluable in making the paper better, since different perspectives help with ensuring that the ideas are clear and concise.”
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“This experience provides me with tools that allow me to feel more confident when writing a manuscript.”
A new call for the Scientific Communication course is coming soon!
We are excited to announce that a new cohort 2024 – 2025 for the course Scientific Communication in Clinical and Translational Research will be selected during the following months to initiate in October 2024. Please stay tuned to the institutional emails and our social media pages on Facebook, X and LinkedIn for additional details, including the promotion and registration
