TESTIMONIALS
HEAR FROM OUR SCHOLARS
At the NIH STAGE TRIALS Training Program, we believe the best way to understand the transformative impact of our training is to hear directly from those who have experienced it. Below, you'll find reflections from past scientists who have completed the STAGE TRIALS program. Their stories highlight the practical skills gained, the invaluable mentorship received, the vibrant community forged, and the tangible advancements made in their careers and research projects.
5pm-8pm
DAILY
Pivotal Career Development: From Concept to Confident Grant Submission
The NIH STAGE TRIALS Training Program was one of the most valuable career development opportunities I've had. The training faculty created a safe and supportive environment where I could be candid about my weaknesses and work on improving them. The program is highly interactive and engaging, and the teaching faculty were genuinely invested in each scientist's growth. Through the multi-module structure, we didn't just learn concepts in the abstract, but it allowed us to develop a fundable grant proposal, receiving detailed feedback on every critical component, step by step. Beyond the technical skills and conceptual knowledge, my biggest takeaway was the mindset behind behavioral intervention science and a clearer understanding of how to develop a truly effective, deliverable intervention in the real world. I came into this program at a pivotal point in my growth as a behavioral interventionist, and I'm leaving with both the skills and the confidence to move my work forward.
- 2026 Program Scientist
5pm-8pm
DAILY
Rigor, Application, and a Stronger Grant Proposal
I would highly recommend the NIH STAGE TRIALS Training Program to investigators interested in behavioral intervention research. The program is rigorous and requires a meaningful time commitment, but that investment is what makes it so valuable. Rather than simply learning about the NIH Stage Model, I applied it directly to my own research program and developed a substantially more focused and methodologically rigorous grant proposal over the course of the training. The faculty were exceptionally generous with their expertise and provided practical, candid feedback grounded in their own experiences conducting behavioral intervention research and securing NIH funding. The statistical consultations were particularly valuable for helping me determine what was essential to my proposed study and what needed to be narrowed or reserved for later stages of research. I finished the program not only with a stronger proposal, but with a much clearer framework for how to approach intervention development and evaluation across my broader program of research.
- 2026 Program Scientist
5pm-8pm
DAILY
A Comprehensive, Hands-On Approach to Competitive Grant Writing & Networking
The NIH STAGE TRIALS Training Program is genuinely the best training program I have attended. What made it especially valuable was that it went beyond traditional lectures and provided a structured, hands-on process for developing an NIH grant from the initial concept through a full proposal. The combination of expert instruction, individualized feedback, statistical consultation, peer review, and opportunities to immediately apply what I was learning to my own research was incredibly valuable. Equally valuable was the opportunity to meet and learn alongside scientists from universities across the country who brought different research areas, perspectives, and experiences to the program. Learning from their projects, questions, and approaches, and building relationships with other investigators, was an important part of the experience. I finished the program with a much stronger understanding of intervention development and the NIH Stage Model, but more importantly, I feel much better prepared to develop and submit competitive NIH grant applications. I would highly recommend this program to early-career investigators developing behavioral intervention research.
- 2026 Program Scientist
5pm-8pm
DAILY
Practical, Product-Oriented Training with a Tangible Deliverable
One of the best solid training programs that I have ever attended. You will learn from talented peers and established researchers in the field. The training is practical and product-oriented. You will have the opportunity to practice connecting newly learned concepts with your own research ideas and putting them into words. You will walk away with a tangible deliverable: a draft NIH proposal. I highly recommend this program to researchers seeking to strengthen their intervention development skills in behavioral research and enhance their competitiveness for NIH funding.”
- 2026 Program Scientist
