Clinical Research Scholars Training (CREST) Program

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Project Abstract The Downstate Clinical Research Scholars Training Program (CREST) will provide a structured program that prepares nurses and physicians to conduct rigorous research that addresses health disparities and advances health equity. The COVID-19 pandemic coupled with acts of social injustice all converge to reinforce that racism is a fundamental driver of racial and ethnic health disparities and requires an urgent response from the scientific community. Recent NIH funding initiatives have also called for research that examines the impact of structural racism and discrimination on health disparities. These events provide the rationale for developing CREST as a health-equity focused research training program. CREST builds upon an established health equity infrastructure at SUNY Downstate and long-standing community partnerships. Eligible trainees are nurses with advanced doctoral degrees, post-residents/clinical fellows, and junior faculty from backgrounds that are underrepresented in biomedical research. CREST will consist of a 2-year didactic curriculum and mentored research experience component and a 1-year pilot projects component. The curriculum is an established Master of Public Health in our School of Public Health. It will be delivered via innovative hybrid and hyflex (evening, synchronous online, asynchronous online, and in-person) modalities. This program has an over 95% on-time completion rate. Trainees will participate in grant writing workshops as they prepare to submit applications for the pilot project component. Unique aspects of CREST include an interprofessional learning environment, formal didactic sessions on applying antiracism, structural competency, and trauma-informed frameworks in designing research, and opportunities to engage community partners and representatives from the New York City Department of Health. CREST will be led by an MPI team who have collaborated on NIH funded training programs and who are dedicated to building a diverse research workforce. This team will collaboratively implement the following aims 1) provide an equity-focused didactic research curriculum and a mentored clinical research experience; 2) implement a pilot studies program that serves as a catalyst for generating preliminary data that can be used in preparation for future career development (K) or research project (R) grants; 3) establish a CREST-Mentorship Network comprised of local and national mentors who have a track record of supporting academic, professional, and personal growth and who will foster trainee capacity for independent research. CREST will yield a critical-mass of clinician scientists who can successfully compete for funding, conduct disparities research, and advance equity research.