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Our Approach to Data Training Tables

We use a federated approach to maintain our faculty/trainee database which currently houses records for 350+ faculty and their trainees (2500+). Additionally, we keep a database for predoc program data for Table 6A. Other information is obtained just in time as needed if not already stored.

Each submission requires a custom-built set of data training tables, depending on which tables are required and the unique mix of faculty, programs, date range, and departments for the proposed program.

We periodically update our faculty and trainee data from research lab group websites, LinkedIn, ORCID, faculty CVs (if posted on their web page), eraCommons IDs, and other data sources.  However, these sources are not always up to date or available.

If we do not have current data needed for a specific submission, we reach out to colleagues, programs, departments, and individual faculty to obtain what we need and store it for future use in the database.

This means that we do not try to manage more data than we use. We gather the data “just in time” to build and maintain the data to provide the most up-to-date data for the training tables.

Our support for the production of the data training tables typically ranges from:

 – creating a draft at the outset of preparation that helps shape leadership decision making

– to sharing information and providing worksheets to fill any gaps

– to helping local administrative support learn to create the tables

– to providing a set of tables for final review by the program team for inclusion in the submission (though this is typically agreed to during the consultation phase as capacity will depend on current workload).

 

Faculty mentors: Join the trainee data cause! Add your trainee data to your CV today! Please report the following elements for your trainee:

  • Trainee name (Ideally the name the trainee uses on publication)
  • Trainee type: PhD Student; MD/PhD student; Postdoc
  • Research Topic (200 character limit)
  • Approx Start date in MM/YYYY format
  • Approx End (or thesis defense) date in MM/YYYY format

And we strongly recommend the mentor obtain the eraCommons ID for all of their current trainees for ease of outcomes tracking and data management.

Useful information provided by NIGMS for predoctoral program table submissions, including its elimination of the use of Table 6 and what to provide instead, can be reviewed here: https://nigms.nih.gov/training/instpredoc/Pages/predoctoral-nih-data-tables-data-formats.aspx