# AGA FORWARD PROGRAM - Fostering Opportunities Resulting in Workforce and Research Diversity

> **NIH NIH R25** · AMERICAN GASTROENTEROLOGICAL ASSN/INST · 2021 · $145,215

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
An important element contributing to the current shortfall of physician-scientists is the relatively low rate of
participation among individuals underrepresented in medicine (URMs). The American Gastroenterological
Association (AGA), in its mission to advance the science and practice of gastroenterology, has a long and
successful record of developmental programs designed to improve the diversity of the biomedical workforce in
Gastroenterology. Starting from 2001, with Investing in the Future I and II, the AGA has developed curriculum
and training to promote the recruitment and retention of URMs in gastroenterology (funded by NIH DK096968).
Our conceptual approach has been highly successful, but up to this point, most of the URMs who the AGA has
cultivated are focused on clinical care of patients with digestive diseases. The objective here is to build on these
successes with a program focused on supporting the career entry and development for URM physician-scientists
in gastroenterology. This program, Fostering Opportunities Resulting in Workforce and Research Diversity
(FORWARD) Scholars, is based upon a needs assessment through surveys and focus groups where we
identified factors that impede URMs' interest to pursue investigational or leadership careers. The co-principal
investigators (co-PIs) and co-investigators of the current proposal Sheila Crowe, MD, AGAF, Juanita Merchant,
MD, PhD, Jesus Rivera-Nieves, MD, AGAF and Byron Cryer, MD bring decades of experience in leadership
development, program management, successful investigation and mentoring of early career physician-scientists.
Along with these co-PIs, 13 senior physician-scientists with diverse research interests and backgrounds will
serve as mentors to the FORWARD scholars. We expect to provide concrete skills to promote URMs in the
pursuit of successful careers as physician-scientists through the following specific aims: Aim 1: Provide training
for skill development in research careers; Aim 2: Provide skill development in leadership; Aim 3: Provide active
mentoring. For the first aim, we will provide training in research development, writing scientific manuscripts, grant
writing, and management of research groups. In the second aim, we will adapt our highly successful leadership
development curricula to include general leadership development, leadership assessments, executive coaching,
and opportunities for leadership experience within the society. Under the third aim, we will apply a diversity
management plan focused on active mentoring approaches, using both one-on-one and network mentoring
approaches to provide opportunities for broad support and sponsorship. Integrated with these aims will be robust
evaluation plans for both formative and summative feedback. The approach is innovative because we will provide
an integrated response to the obstacles identified by our surveys and focus group in a competitive group of early-
career GI physicians. The proposal is signi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10144422
- **Project number:** 5R25DK118761-04
- **Recipient organization:** AMERICAN GASTROENTEROLOGICAL ASSN/INST
- **Principal Investigator:** Byron Cryer
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $145,215
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10144422

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10144422, AGA FORWARD PROGRAM - Fostering Opportunities Resulting in Workforce and Research Diversity (5R25DK118761-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10144422. Licensed CC0.

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