Research Education Core

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ABSTRACT | RESEARCH EDUCATION CORE The Research Education Core (REC) of the Ponce Health Sciences University and Moffitt Cancer Center Partnership has built an educational program that supports participants across the career continuum preparing them for basic or clinical oncology-related careers. The long-term goal of the REC is to increase the recruitment, advancement, and quality of cancer research scientists and oncologists from the Puerto Rican and Hispanic/Latino (H/L) population while advancing health disparities research focused on this population. Through ongoing interactions with all components of the Partnership, the REC’s educational framework (2007-2022) has resulted in: 125 participants obtaining faculty, medical, or industry/federal/academic positions with 30 in hematology-oncology clinical practice; completion of 137 research rotations by PhD, MD or PsyD students; guidance of 22 Early-Stage Investigators (ESIs); and the creation of new courses, clerkships, and robust cancer and health disparities seminar series. Leveraging our prior successes the REC strategy is designed to jointly engage participants across career levels and institutes to create a lasting peer mentoring network which will be accomplished under the following aims: Aim 1 engages H/L undergraduate students at both PHSU and MCC, eight total per year, in a new two-year-plus program with year-round mentoring and research experiences combined with intensive summer research immersion to promote conceptual change in preconceived ideas of limited opportunities and ‘fit’ for STEM and cancer research. Aim 2 establishes two-year diversity post-doctoral scholarships at MCC for H/L fellows to support career success with a focus on cancer health disparities and minority health; and also establishes career development scholarships for late-stage PHSU PhD students to support career enhancement activities and successful transition to post-doctoral training. Two rolling scholarship slots are available at each site. The scholarships are interwoven with training in cultural competency, professionalism, scientific writing, and health disparities to successfully promote a path toward independence. Aim 3 addresses the need to increase the number of H/L medical residents and medical students entering an oncology career track. REC will facilitate the creation of the first urology residency program in PR, enable surgical oncology training at MCC for two PR surgical residents per year, and immerse eight medical students per year in a summer cancer research experience alongside PhD students. Aim 4 enhances the career development of ESIs by providing individualized support for each ESI through collaborative interactions, health disparities training, grant/scientific writing workshops, career development activities, identifying networking opportunities, and tracking, and evaluating ongoing mentorship and sponsorship. In sum, REC trainees will gain cancer research and health disparities experience through exposure to Partnership projects and Cores. The REC outcomes will support the overall Partnership objectives by building and strengthening trainee career pathways at critical career transition points, resulting in a more diverse pool of oncologists and research scientists.