The VPCAT Research Scholars Program is a highly successful program with current and alumni scholars surpassing all expectations. This success is highlighted in the Figure, which shows the research funding totals awarded to the University of Utah. As of December 2025, we have supported 257 program participants and 63% of our total scholars are women and individuals with health disparities.

Of our graduates, the majority (80%) achieved the goal of becoming principal investigators of at least one award, with awards continuing to accrue following graduation. In total, our graduated scholars, including those from Intermountain Healthcare and those who transitioned their research careers to new institutions, have received 1,280 new awards and over $553 million in total new proposal funding since Fiscal Year 2008. For University of Utah graduated scholars, specifically, they have received 1,212 new awards valued at over $445 million during and after their participation, representing $68 million in indirect costs. 

Importantly, 69% of all scholars remain at the University of Utah and 93% remain engaged in clinical and translational research. These retention rates are higher than other health sciences Assistant Professors, who overall had a retention rate of 60% for FY2008-2015 at the University of Utah and similar or lower rates at other institutions. VPCAT scholar attrition (33%) is also substantially lower than the AAMC’s 2019 report of 41% attrition of MD clinical first-time Assistant Professors and 39% PhD basic first-time Assistant Professors by 10 years. 

In addition to faculty retention, the return on the institutional investment in the VPCAT program is substantial. By leveraging and coordinating many institutional resources, program costs are kept reasonable despite our unique infrastructure that offers resources for the scholars, compensation for the senior mentors, and a dedicated staff, which includes an administrative director and a research staff mentoring team. Since our expansion to all of health sciences in FY2013, the $6.5 million in program expenses have been offset by more than $68 million in total indirects awarded to our University of Utah scholars, with a return on investment of over 10.5 to 1.

What was once a pilot program now serves as the University of Utah's signature mentoring program that has increased our research capacity and contributed substantially to the institution achieving its research objectives.