The North Carolina PARTNERS Program: Preparing Undergraduates for Research Careers in Cancer Prevention, Causes, and Treatment in Traditionally Underrepresented Populations.
Temitope O Keku, Trinnette Cooper, LaHoma Smith Romocki, Kim Harris, Wendy Heck Grillo
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Eliminating disparities in cancer prevention, causes, and treatment is essential to reducing cancer death rates and improving overall health outcomes for all Americans, especially in racial and ethnic communities. Addressing this goal requires expanding the biomedical workforce of researchers from underrepresented groups, physicians, and public health professionals representing those populations. The PARTNERS Cancer Education Program was a collaboration between a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), North Carolina Central University (NCCU), and a research-intensive institution, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). PARTNERS was integrative and unique in providing NCCU fellows with 2 years of research education. Both NCCU and UNC-CH fellows participated in 10 weeks of mentored research experiences. The fellows gained cultural awareness and specific knowledge about cancer disparities among different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and developed the professional skills necessary to compete successfully for admission to graduate or professional programs. Seventy-five fellows participated in PARTNERS between 2011 and 2021, with 31 NCCU undergraduate students in Cancer Biology, 23 NCCU undergraduate students in Public Health, and 21 UNC-CH undergraduate students in Cancer Biology. Of those who completed the program and graduated college, 66% of Cancer Biology and 67% of Public Health fellows have obtained or are pursuing advanced degrees (Master's, MPH, PhD) in graduate or professional programs, medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy. PARTNERS Alumni have co-authored 45 peer-reviewed papers. The career trajectory of PARTNERS fellows suggests the program is an innovative and successful model for addressing undergraduate students' academic and professional workforce preparedness and promoting research careers in cancer health disparities.
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Cancer Education, the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education (AACE) and the European Association for Cancer Education (EACE), is an international, quarterly journal dedicated to the publication of original contributions dealing with the varied aspects of cancer education for physicians, dentists, nurses, students, social workers and other allied health professionals, patients, the general public, and anyone interested in effective education about cancer related issues.
Articles featured include reports of original results of educational research, as well as discussions of current problems and techniques in cancer education. Manuscripts are welcome on such subjects as educational methods, instruments, and program evaluation. Suitable topics include teaching of basic science aspects of cancer; the assessment of attitudes toward cancer patient management; the teaching of diagnostic skills relevant to cancer; the evaluation of undergraduate, postgraduate, or continuing education programs; and articles about all aspects of cancer education from prevention to palliative care.
We encourage contributions to a special column called Reflections; these articles should relate to the human aspects of dealing with cancer, cancer patients, and their families and finding meaning and support in these efforts.
Letters to the Editor (600 words or less) dealing with published articles or matters of current interest are also invited.
Also featured are commentary; book and media reviews; and announcements of educational programs, fellowships, and grants.
Articles should be limited to no more than ten double-spaced typed pages, and there should be no more than three tables or figures and 25 references. We also encourage brief reports of five typewritten pages or less, with no more than one figure or table and 15 references.
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