title: Growing the Pipeline of Diverse HIV Investigators: The Impact of Mentored Research Experiences to Engage Underrepresented Minority Students.
abstract: Structured, mentored research programs for high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds are needed to increase the diversity of our nation's biomedical research workforce. In particular, a robust pipeline of investigators from the communities disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic is needed not only for fairness and equity but for insights and innovations to address persistent racial and ethnic disparities in new infections. We created the Summer HIV/AIDS Research Program (SHARP) at the San Francisco Department of Public Health for URM undergraduates as a 12-week program of hands-on research experience, one-on-one mentoring by a senior HIV investigator, didactic seminars for content and research methods, and networking opportunities. The first four cohorts (2012-2015) of SHARP gained research skills, built confidence in their abilities and self-identified as scientists. In addition, the majority of program alumni is employed in research positions and has been admitted to or is pursuing graduate degree programs in fields related to HIV prevention. While we await empirical studies of specific mentoring strategies at early educational stages, programs that engage faculty who are sensitive to the unique challenges facing diverse students and who draw lessons from established mentoring frameworks can help build an inclusive generation of HIV researchers.
authors.affiliation: Center for Learning & Innovation, San Francisco Department of Public Health, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA, 94102, USA. jonathan.fuchs@sfdph.org.|University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. jonathan.fuchs@sfdph.org.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.affiliation: Center for Learning & Innovation, San Francisco Department of Public Health, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA, 94102, USA.
authors.forename: Aminta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kouyate
authors.affiliation: Center for Learning & Innovation, San Francisco Department of Public Health, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA, 94102, USA.
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kroboth
authors.affiliation: Center for Learning & Innovation, San Francisco Department of Public Health, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA, 94102, USA.|University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Willi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McFarland
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D057191:Capacity Building; D005006:Ethnicity; D015658:HIV Infections; D006801:Humans; D000071252:Mentoring / Q000379:methods*; D008611:Mentors; D008913:Minority Groups; D016730:Program Development; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000193:education*; D012495:San Francisco; D013334:Students; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Career development; HIV; Mentor; Undergraduate research experience; Underrepresented minority