Community Outreach, Engagement, and Mentoring Program for Underrepresented Scholars in Cancer Health Disparities

Racial/ethnic minorities and women are affected by cancer and cancer risk factors at higher rates; however, they are largely underrepresented in scientific professions focused on health disparities. One way to reduce disparities is to increase diversity within the workforce by planning training activities for minority scholars and paying close attention to community outreach. This paper describes the outcomes of a robust community outreach plan engaging communities in education, research, and clinical trials to increase the number of underrepresented student scholars in cancer disparities research through research training, mentorship, and service-learning activities provided within local organizations. The program provided two cohorts of scholars from underrepresented communities with opportunities to attend seminars, present their research to community representatives, and connect with the local community. Cohort 1 consisting of ten scholars participated in a 2-year program that started in the summer of 2018. Cohort 2, consisting of seven scholars, participated in a 1-year program starting in June 2020. Overall, scholars provided positive feedback on all service-learning program activities and the effectiveness of the program in shaping career interests. New procedures developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic continued the effective management of all components of the program and helped increase engagement with the community outreach staff. The outreach program evaluated here can prepare diverse scholars to enter the workforce with interdisciplinary training for mitigating cancer disparities and serve as a model for planning and implementing similar programs at other institutions.