Advancing workforce diversity by leveraging the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program

Area of Science:

• Health Equity
• Clinical Research Workforce Development
• Medical Education

Background:

• Clinical trials disproportionately underrepresent people of color, contributing to medical mistrust and health disparities.
• Diverse representation in clinical research personnel is crucial for improving trial inclusivity and medical intervention efficacy.
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) play a vital role in educating underrepresented minority students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a sustainable framework for training a diverse clinical research workforce.
• To increase the participation of underrepresented groups in clinical research.
• To integrate health equity education into clinical research training.

Main Methods:

• North Carolina Central University (NCCU), an HBCU, established a Clinical Research Sciences Program in 2019.
• The program received support from the Duke University Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program.
• A two-semester certificate program focused on clinical research and health equity was implemented.

Main Results:

• The program graduated 11 students in its first year.
• Eight of the 11 graduates secured positions as clinical research professionals.
• The program successfully created a pipeline for diverse talent in clinical research.

Conclusions:

• Leveraging CTSA support enabled NCCU to build a robust framework for clinical research education.
• The program demonstrates a successful model for producing a diverse and highly trained clinical research workforce.
• This initiative addresses the critical need for greater diversity in clinical trial participation and research personnel.