APA Research in Academic Pediatrics Initiative on Diversity (RAPID)

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Minority children will likely outnumber white children by 2020. Unfortunately, pediatric workforce diversity has failed to keep pace, especially in academia. Minorities comprise 47% of US children, but only 24% of US pediatricians, and underrepresented minorities (URMs) make up only 11% of pediatricians and 7% of US medical-school faculty. Despite this substantial mismatch, very little has been published on research educational programs shown to be efficacious in recruitment and retention of diverse individuals pursuing careers in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, or social sciences. The proposed Academic Pediatric Association (APA) Research in Academic Pediatrics Initiative on Diversity (RAPID) would be the first such research educational program (to our knowledge) targeting faculty diversity in general academic pediatrics. The aim of RAPID is to design, implement, and evaluate a research educational program with the goal of successful recruitment, retention, and professional advancement of diverse junior faculty in general academic pediatrics pursuing careers in NIDDK mission areas. RAPID has several innovative components: 1) small research grants in NIDDK mission areas using a model shown to be effective in promoting career development of young investigators; 2) pairing of the RAPID scholar with a national mentor who is an accomplished senior investigator and seasoned mentor; 3) in-person mentoring and networking at an annual breakfast at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting; 4) an educational symposium on career development and academic success; and 5) RAPID Scholar telephone conference calls every two months, to provide peer support, peer mentoring, networking, a venue for presenting research in progress, and opportunities for potential research collaborations. The APA has extensive available educational resources, experience, staff, and facilities, all of which will ensure the success of the proposed RAPID program. A clear vision of diversity is demonstrated and communicated throughout the APA by top-level management and leaders. The APA New Century Scholars (NCS) Program, a core APA program which is a lynchpin of the APA's diversity efforts, will link closely to RAPID; NCS is aimed at increasing workforce diversity in academic pediatrics by recruiting and mentoring URM pediatric residents from across the US who are interested in academic careers. If, as anticipated, the proposed hypotheses are confirmed, RAPID will result in: 1) successful recruitment, retention, and professional advancement of diverse junior faculty researchers; 2) increased likelihood that RAPID participants will present their project findings at a national professional meeting, publish their project findings, obtain additional research funding, obtain a career development award, maintain their APA membership, and highly rate their commitment to a research career in pediatric academic generalism; and 3) a potential model societal program for enhancing the diversity of young investigators.