Cherokee Nation Research Immersion Student Experiences( Cherokee Rise)

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Project Summary/Abstract American Indian (AI) populations face significant health inequities, yet there is an underrepresentation of AI individuals in the scientific and research workforce. Research indicates the low number of AI students that progress through the educational and career pathway is due, in part, to a lack of culturally competent educational services, support systems, and mentors. Due to these inequities and lack of resources and mentoring, there is a critical need to foster sustained partnerships between Tribal Nations and institutions conducting intensive academic-level health research to recruit AI students and support their pathway to health research careers. Cherokee Nation has partnered with the University of Oklahoma (OU) and Oklahoma State University (OSU) to develop the Cherokee Nation Research Immersion Student Experiences (RISE) program in order to foster interest and expertise specifically in biomedical, clinical, and behavioral health research. Cherokee Nation RISE aims to train the next generation of AI scientists to achieve health equity. Cherokee Nation has as longstanding partnership in research with OU. Cherokee Nation has partnered with OSU to establish the nation’s first tribally- affiliated college of medicine in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, which is the location of the tribe’s headquarters. Cherokee Nation RISE will reach across multiple levels of trainees from high school through graduate school as well as medical students and residents to expose AI trainees to health research at each level of the scientific pathway. The project aims are to 1) Support AI students and trainees along the scientific pathway with health research exposure, hands-on research experiences and formal mentorship; 2) Increase the pool of biomedical researchers who are formally trained in mentoring and dedicated to mentoring and engaging AI students in their ongoing research programs; 3) Develop and maintain an online community for Cherokee Nation RISE students, mentors, and program alumni for networking, sustainment of engaged research and mentoring, and evaluation and tracking. Through the NARCH partnership, Cherokee Nation is well-positioned to develop a cadre of AI students and trainees engaged in biomedical, clinical, and behavioral health research; increase the pool of faculty who are formally trained in mentoring AI students; and build an online community to evaluate, improve, and sustain the program. Through expanded partnerships and the creation of a Cherokee Nation RISE Advisory Board, we aim to lay the foundation for a large-scale inter-institutional training program across all levels of students and trainees in order to facilitate the pathway to health research careers focused on improving AI health.