Developing Health Services Research at TSU and MMC

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DESCRIPTION (PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT): This application seeks to renew for five years the Minority Research Infrastructure Support Program (M-RISP) at two historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), namely Tennessee State University (TSU) and Meharry Medical College (MMC). The goal of this renewal application is to enhance further the research infrastructure at TSU and MMC and to strengthen the capacity of new individual investigators to conduct high-quality, health services research in the area of healthcare quality and disparities. The proposed program builds on the progress made during the past three years and expands the M-RISP activities to more effectively train and mentor junior investigators to publish research and to compete for independent research grants in the area of healthcare quality and services. The proposed activities during the renewal period (Cycle 2) will further develop the University's ability to compete for investigator-initiated extramural research support through traditional funding mechanisms. The specific aims of the proposed M-RISP during Cycle 2 (which have been modified since the original Cycle 1 application) are to: 1) Develop an administrative structure to support collaborative healthcare quality research at TSU and MMC; 2) Institute a structured program of research support and training in health services research for junior faculty and for students associated with the Center (including substantive health services topics, such as research design, data collection, data analysis, writing manuscripts, and writing grant applications); 3) Provide and expand existing databases at TSU's Center for Health Research for use by junior investigators to conduct research projects and to develop new fundable research applications; 4) Hold a one-day conference for healthcare researchers and service providers in Middle Tennessee to promote and disseminate findings from the AHRQ M-RISP project and from other agency-funded projects aimed at eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health; and to ensure the relevance of research development to the goal of eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health.