Short-term training program to increase diversity in health related research

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OVERVIEW. This application seeks continued support for short-term research training of underrepresented minority students in cardiovascular science, pulmonology, and related areas. The program primarily targets two groups of medical students: those in the summer between year 1 and 2, and those more advanced students who want to go beyond the minimum research requirement (3 months) in year 3 or 4 to gain more in-depth and meaningful research training. It will also support up to two undergraduate students each year. Since inception of this grant in 1991, 59 underrepresented minority students have received support. Fifty- two of these were medical students, 6 were undergraduates and one was a high school student; 7 trainees were appointed twice. In the next cycle of funding, we will continue to select trainees on the basis of their academic record, clarity of career goals, research training plan, suitability of project as a training vehicle, and suitability of the mentor. Penn has 118 NHBLI funded investigators, giving us a cohort of experienced and interactive faculty members to serve as mentors. They are working in areas that include hemostasis and thrombosis, vascular disease and related topics in hematopoiesis, pulmonology, and in the hemoglobinopathies, particularly sickle cell disease. It is expected that 80% of the training experience will involve direct participation in research with the remainder devoted to directed reading and seminars. RECENT CHANGES. Dr. DeLisser has been recruited as the new PI for the grant, Dr. Poncz will remain involved as a member of the Advisory Committee. The program will be administered by the Director and the Advisory Committee. The new PI and one member of the Advisory Committee are African-American with NIH-derived research support and a special interest in training underrepresented minority students. We believe that we offer an unusually strong research training opportunity to an outstanding pool of underrepresented minorities, and that we have the commitment to encourage these students to select an academic career in these related fields.