One Health Research Training Curriculum for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Students

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Abstract The central mission of MARC at University of Hawaii at Manoa (MARC@UHM) is to provide training in biosciences research to diverse UHM students who are underrepresented in STEM-related PhD programs. This two-year training program provides these students with the technical, operational, and professional skills needed to pursue PhD and MD/PhD programs at research-intensive institutions. This supplement proposes to complement the MARC@UHM program by introducing students to an interdisciplinary and integrated science curriculum on One Health, an approach that recognizes the interconnections between human health, animal health, and environmental science. This administrative supplement proposes to integrate the principles of One Health into the MARC@UHM research training program and to provide trainees with concrete examples of the interconnections between human medicine, animal medicine and environmental science. The University of Hawaii has developed One Health certificate programs for undergraduate and medical students and has made a commitment to the implementation of One Health to address health challenges in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. This proposal describes the development of a five-week One Health course for MARC@UHM trainees with the following specific aims: (1) To provide undergraduate students with a foundation in the basic principles of the One Health approach to address global health issues as well as health challenges in Hawaii and other Pacific Islands, (2) To engage students in active discussion with interdisciplinary faculty of examples of challenges requiring a One Health approach, (3) To explore the application of process flow diagramming to address complex health challenges involving multiple sectors/stakeholders, roles, and responsibilities through use of the One Health Systems Mapping and Analysis Resource Toolkit, OH-SMART, and (4) To provide students with an opportunity to communicate One Health concepts to their peers and to the public. Course effectiveness will be determined through an evaluation plan that includes a course evaluation survey administered to students completing the course and an assessment of survey data by the program evaluator and program director. Dissemination of the project activities and outcomes will be through presentations to the Advisory Committee and at the meeting for NIGMS training, workforce development, and diversity programs. If found to be effective this course will be integrated into the regular MARC@UHM training program. Gaining awareness of the importance of interdisciplinary research will supplement existing training provided by the program in specific research areas and will stimulate students to consider professional careers requiring a skillset that crosses disciplinary boundaries.