# Developing a Pathway for Preparing Underrepresented Minority Students for a Career in Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences

> **NIH NIH R25** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $154,416

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The Black or African American population continues to face barriers in workforce representation in
the fields of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences despite multiple initiatives to enhance
workforce diversity in biomedicine. Factors contributing to the workforce disparities among Black
professionals are complex and multifaceted: Black children face limited access to quality education
and opportunities in the STEM fields at grassroot level, which become major barriers later on in life
for those aspiring to pursue careers in Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences; socioeconomic
disparities among the Black population usually impact access to educational resources and pre-professional training needed to pursue research-related careers in these fields; and the low
representation of Black professionals in Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences create lack of
awareness among Black students about potential research-related career paths in these fields. Thus,
there is a critical need to increase Black representation in research careers by developing a training
curriculum that provides research experiences and career mentorship. Our proposed Program –
Black or African-American research training Pathway to Otolaryngology and Communication
Sciences (BAA-POCS) – will address career disparities and pave the way for reductions in health
inequalities and improvements in healthcare outcomes. This collaborative program will engage two
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in North Carolina – Bennett College and Saint
Augustine’s University – with Duke University’s Department of Head and Neck Surgery &
Communication Sciences (HNSCS) such that undergraduate students from these HBCUs will
undergo rigorous research training over a 15-month period under the mentorship of Duke faculty
members. To achieve our objective, the following specific aims are proposed: [1] Conduct a rigorous
clinical and research training curriculum for preparing undergraduate students for research careers
in Otolaryngology and the Communication Sciences; [2] Provide professional development activities
to promote professional identity and preparation for graduate or medical school; and [3] Create
support groups for students and program alums to engage one another regarding career decisions.
The culmination of this BAA-POCS program will provide students from these HBCUs with a
comprehensive research training and mentorship experience, which will generate enthusiasm and
self-efficacy, and increase the number of students interested in pursuing careers in Otolaryngology
and/or the Communication Sciences.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10936183
- **Project number:** 1R25DC021934-01
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Howard W Francis
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $154,416
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10936183

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10936183, Developing a Pathway for Preparing Underrepresented Minority Students for a Career in Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences (1R25DC021934-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10936183. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*