Multidisciplinary Opportunities in Research Education for Students in Health Professions (MORESHP)

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Project Summary This proposal is a summer research and education program for health professional students in areas related to the research mission of the NHLBI. Mentored by faculty drawn from selected health professional schools of Rutgers, the program has three primary aims: (1) to increase student knowledge and appreciation of biomedical research by providing a closely-mentored, hands-on research experience; (2) to increase student knowledge and interest in pursuing careers in research in mission-related areas of the NHLBI through career development and educational activities; (3) to provide continued advice, support and guidance to program alumni to facilitate post-program career planning and implementation. Ten health professional students from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), School of Dental Medicine (SDM) and School of Health Professions (SPH) will be admitted to our program each year beginning in 2020. Special consideration will be given to students from economically and/or socially disadvantaged backgrounds, including underrepresented minority applicants and those with limited research experience. Our selection of participants is enhanced by the proven track record in diversity recruitment as demonstrated by the ranking of Rutgers NJMS in the 80th percentile in underrepresented minority students and 85th percentile for minority faculty, according to the 2014 Association of American Medical Colleges’ Mission Management Tool. The research component of the proposed program is aligned with the training program being implemented in a parallel pending Clinical and Translational Science Award program to Rutgers. The R25 program will provide hands-on experimentation in labs with active, nationally recognized and funded research programs at Rutgers in mission areas of the NHLBI, specifically studies related to cardiovascular, pulmonary and hematological diseases. These students will be exposed to high-level research using cutting- edge, experimental strategies and contemporary methodology. The infrastructure and organization of the proposed R25 summer program will take advantage of the leadership, teaching, research knowledge and skills of faculty who have extensive experience in training health professional students. The program is designed to integrate student research experiences and mentoring with weekly meetings comprising training in science communication, critical reading of manuscripts and Responsible Conduct of Research. Each year, students will present the results of their summer research projects in a symposium and submit a paper on their project in the format of a manuscript. Contact by program directors with alumni via social network platforms and in- person reunion events will provide continued career-related advice, mentoring and networking of prospective, current and past participants who can share their experiences and advise each other.