141 Bridging the gap: Training researchers to share their work

Objectives/Goals: Researchers have an ethical responsibility to disseminate their discoveries beyond the walls of academia, tailoring communications about their research to various audiences. Learning to articulate and convey the impact of their work is a critical skill for translational scientists to develop. Methods/Study Population: Trainings were developed to prepare investigators to describe the impact of their biomedical research to stakeholders. A one-credit class was designed for doctoral students and consisted of knowledge-based training and skill development. It included instruction in developing an impact statement and conveying research impact to various audiences. Then, students practiced engaging different stakeholders by developing and presenting tailored research presentations. Also, a seminar series on research impact, with a didactic curriculum similar to the class, was created for our wider research community, and the series will be offered in the spring. Results/Anticipated Results: Six graduate students participated in the class during its initial offering and completed a post-course survey that included quantitative and qualitative measures. All students strongly agreed or agreed that the course increased their interest in research dissemination, helped them become more competent in dissemination, and provided training that they plan to apply to their work. In response to open-ended questions, students stated that expert feedback about their presentations helped them better refine their impact messages for distinct audiences. Similar survey data will be collected from seminar participants when the series is offered in the spring. Discussion/Significance of Impact: Investigators must discuss research impact with non-academic audiences to bridge the scientific discovery to real-world application gap. Intentional training in articulating and disseminating impact helps investigators be competent and confident in discussing research implications with stakeholders.