Research Education About Cancer and Health (REACH) Core

NIH RePORTER · NIH · U54 · $84,798 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Partnership Research Education About Cancer and Health (REACH) Core will deliver research education activities in cancer and health disparities and prepare future scientists to contribute to the diversification of the biomedical research workforce. The REACH Core has demonstrated exceptional success in training undergraduate and graduate students, including individuals from Historically Excluded Communities (HECs) in previous U54 Partnership funding cycles. Based on its experience implementing a variety of research education programs such as undergraduate (Cancer Research Internship for NMSU Undergraduates; CRI-U) and graduate (Cancer Research Internship for NMSU Graduates; CRI-G) research internships, Graduate Health Disparities Course (University of Washington, School of Public Health), and the Health Disparities Field Experience (renamed the Health Equity Field Experience in the U54-IV), the Partnership will implement integrated biomedical research education programs with an emphasis on cancer and/or health disparities research, across a spectrum of academic levels to diversify the scientific workforce contributing to biomedical and population health research. The Partnership will also provide concurrent and on-going support for academic and professional goal attainment among all its participants. Formative assessments to measure strengths and inform areas for improvement of research education activities will be carried out with the Planning & Evaluation Core. The Partnership will continue to use long-term tracking tools to offer sustained support to participants and evaluate impact and effectiveness of activities. In response to past program evaluation and recommendations from the Internal Advisory Committee and external Program Steering Committee, a portfolio of activities is proposed that prioritize the current needs to promote and heighten cancer research education that is focused on undergraduate and graduate students at both institutions. The REACH Core will implement education programs across academic levels and disciplines; provide support for trainees’ goal attainment that identifies individual-specific needs and interests, opportunities as well as potential barriers to career advancement; design experiences for trainees that create a sense of community and belonging both within the Partnership and more broadly in the larger scientific community, and; conduct assessments of research education activities’ effectiveness, including long-term tracking, to identify opportunities for innovation and needs for improvement while meeting the diverse needs of participants. These activities will contribute to the Partnership’s Aims of diversifying the biomedical workforce, creating a more inclusive and affirmative research environment and enhancing cancer health equity.

Key facts

NIH application ID
10931718
Project number
5U54CA132383-17
Recipient
NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY LAS CRUCES
Principal Investigator
Mary Alice Scott
Activity code
U54
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2024
Award amount
$84,798
Award type
5
Project period
2007-09-30 → 2028-08-31