499 Visiting Scholars in Times of Pandemic

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The Virtual CTSA Visiting Scholars Program allows KL2 scholars to serve as visiting professors at host CTSA consortium institutions. This program facilitates connections with faculty outside scholars home institutions, as well as fostering collaboration among different CTSA hubs. Stanford aimed to incorporate participants into its KL2 program. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Stanford is one of 57 host institutions for the Virtual CTSA Visiting Scholars Program. The program includes a virtual meeting between each participant and a chosen faculty at the host institution. Program participants also give a virtual Grand Rounds lecture, open to the entire CTSA consortium. As well as encouraging Spectrum KL2 Scholars to participate in the virtual exchange, the Spectrum KL2 program incorporated the visiting scholars into weekly activities over the course of 3 months. Visiting scholars were invited to participate virtually in KL2 educational sessions, which provide career development training and mentoring. As meetings transitioned to in-person, KL2 scholars were allowed to attend virtually when needed. Hybrid in-person sessions were also conducive to participation by visiting scholars. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Stanfords Spectrum KL2 program was virtual (Zoom) for academic year 2020-2021 and included 1:1 mentoring sessions, weekly career development seminars, and 1:1 peer virtual lunches to integrate the 9 junior faculty scholars. Visiting scholars joined the weekly Zoom meetings when their schedules allowed. KL2 faculty mentored visiting scholars for 3 months, exchanging ideas and forming collaborations. Each visiting participant was paired with a KL2 Scholar, who provided 1:1 peer mentorship. In addition, visiting scholars presented a work-in-progress seminar, to obtain feedback before the more formal Grand Rounds lecture. For academic year 2021-2022, Spectrum KL2 meetings include virtual and hybrid in-person sessions, allowing visiting scholars to join by Zoom during the 3-month virtual exchange program. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: What set Stanfords Virtual CTSA Visiting Scholars Program apart was faculty engagement and mentorship provided to visiting participants. By incorporating visiting scholars virtually into the ongoing KL2 education program, participants could engage fully with mentors and scholars, even surpassing opportunities of pre-pandemic on-site visits.