The Native American Short-Term Research Education Program in Children's Health Supplemental Proposal for additional Exceptional Mentoring Experiences

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NARI-NHLBI DOSI SUPPLEMENTAL ABSTRACT The American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations are facing a health crisis that exceeds every other underrepresented, underserved community in the US. Health disparities in AI/AN communities exist throughout the lifespan. Eliminating health disparities, requires the identification, recruitment, education, and training of the most talented scientists in the U.S. To increase AI/AN representation in the biomedical workforce, we established a Native American Research Internship (NARI) program in 2010. Our holistic and comprehensive NARI program was developed to support AI/AN students, who are underrepresented and underserved in both higher education and healthcare. Underrepresented minorities are more likely to work with underserved populations and racial concordance between a patient and clinician is associated with improved health outcomes. Our ultimate goal is to increase AI/AN representation and leadership in science and medicine. To date, 171 NARI graduates representing 62 tribal nations, 74 colleges/universities, and 29 home states have participated in the program with 100% of participants either completing a college degree or in the process of completing a degree, and no one has dropped out of college. Upon obtaining their undergraduate degree, 78 (60%) have continued their education in the health/science fields: 43 NARI participants were accepted into a graduate program; 33 NARI were accepted into medical school and 2 were accepted to a MD/PhD program. Thirteen are current medical residents and several have returned as leaders in tribal communities; physicians, public health workers, pharmacists, etc. With these outstanding outcomes, we begin to address our overarching goal of increasing AI/AN representation as leaders in biomedical science regionally and nationally. Although the NARI program has been successful and many NARI-NHLBI alumni have remained connected through social media, conferences and friendship, we have identified several missed opportunities of NARI mentorship which we hope to support with this supplemental grant: 1) Support mentoring activities across NARI cohorts during the summer 2) Support NARI “near peer” and “peer to peer” mentoring activities outside of the NARI summer program 3) MCAT prep financial support, and 4) Support NARI-NHLBI alumni interested in shadowing and volunteer activities in tribal communities. Using the foundation of the NARI program, we hope to support these unique opportunities and continue to grow meaningful national NARI connections and regional connections.