Upon acceptance into the ICPTP Program the following individualized tasks will be pursued jointly by each scholar and Advisory Committee:

1. Identification of a lead mentor. If a specific lead mentor was not identified at the time of application, we would work with the scholar to identify that person. Advice of clinical chairs and experts in the field in question will be sought.


2. Identification of a co-lead mentor. Whenever possible or needed, scholars will have a co-lead mentor who will be an expert in the area of research methodology, patient-oriented research design, and statistics. Drs. Elliot Landaw and Robert Elashoff (collaborating Chair and faculty of the Department of Biomathematics) will serve either as co-lead mentors, or will identify appropriate co-lead mentors).


3. Identification of an ICPTP preceptor. A key feature of our program will be preceptors, who preferably share a common background with scholars, but are not directly involved in the scholars’ research activities. These preceptors will provide the scholar with an additional perspective beyond the immediate reality of the research conducted. by the scholar and lead mentor. The Advisory Committee will work with scholars to identify preceptors among senior faculty members at UCLA and Drew. Scholars will have structured meetings with ICPTP preceptors at least twice per month.


4. Mentoring Committee. This committee will consist of the scholar, lead mentor, ICPTP preceptor, 1-3 members of the Advisory Committee, one additional faculty member appointed by the chair of the Department in which the scholar has his/her primary appointment, and the co-lead mentor (if applicable) or one expert in statistics and research design. Upon admission to the program, the scholar will meet with her/his mentoring committee twice a year. There will be a bidirectional evaluation process in which both the candidate and the program will be assessed at each meeting.