The United States falls short in the diversity of its scientific workforce. While the underrepresentation of minority researchers in the behavioral sciences has been a concern for several decades, policy and training initiatives have been only marginally successful in increasing their number. Diversity plays a critical role in our nation’s capacity for research and innovation, yet current approaches prove inadequate. The current study used a qualitative approach to investigate the institutional, cultural, skills, and personal career barriers faced by minority researchers in the behavioral sciences. Data were collected from a select group of minority researchers (defined for this study as women and/or people of color) who attended a 3-and-one-half-day intensive workshop developed specifically to address career barriers. Seventy-two percent (n = 43) encountered workplace barriers relating to race/ethnicity; 26% reported barriers related to gender. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
Career-development conferences can support career growth for trainees. Online training provides a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative to in-person methods, while still enhancing key markers of career progress.
ImportanceAlthough skills in health services research and data science have great potential to advance the field of urogynecology, few clinical researchers obtain such training.ObjectivesThe aim of the R25 UrogynCREST Program is to prepare the next generation of physician-scientists for a successful career in urogynecologic health services research through skilled mentoring and advanced training. The purpose of this report is to describe program implementation and lessons learned.Study DesignAdministered through the program institution and in partnership with the American Urogynecologic Society, this program provided junior faculty with advanced online training and, through a core facility, access to health care databases for research projects. Participants received individualized mentoring and biostatistical support. Anonymous surveys captured actionable, real-time feedback from participants as they moved through the program.ResultsDespite a limited budget, UrogynCREST maintained a core of excellent faculty, high-quality biostatistical support, and engaged, knowledgeable advisors and mentors. This allowed for similar experiences across cohorts while permitting program improvements between cohorts in faculty-participant interactions, team dynamics, and data and regulatory support. Administrative management by a single institution facilitated responses to fiscal and regulatory changes. Asynchronized learning and partnering with a society attracted a diverse group of physician-scientists.ConclusionsCareer development programs that incorporate online education, mentoring, database access, and biostatistical support must be prepared for midprogram changes. Regular communication among stakeholders was vital. Working with a core facility provided efficient database access, but evolving regulatory and administrative processes and costs presented challenges. Our experiences implementing this program can benefit similar programs that train early-career physician-scientists.
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