A call for training the trainers: focus on mentoring to enhance diversity in mental health research.
There is a widening disparity between the proportion of ethnic minority Americans in the population and the number of researchers from these minority groups. One major obstacle in this arena relates to a dearth of mentors for such trainees. The present academic settings are not optimal for development and sustenance of research mentors, especially for mentees from underrepresented minority ethnic groups. Mentoring skills can and should be evaluated and enhanced. Universities, medical schools, and funding agencies need to join hands and implement national- and local-level programs to help develop and reward mentors of junior scientists from ethnic minority groups.
Jeste
Dilip V
DV
Sam and Rose Institute for Research on Aging, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0664, La Jolla, CA 92093-0664, USA. djeste@ucsd.edu
Twamley
Elizabeth W
EW
Cardenas
Veronica
V
Lebowitz
Barry
B
Reynolds
Charles F
CF
D002321:Career Choice; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional; D005006:Ethnicity; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D008603:Mental Health; D008611:Mentors; D044469:Racial Groups; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology