Abstract A074: Increasing Latino representation in cancer health disparities: The Éxito! Program

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Cancer is the leading cause of death among Latinos, making it critical to develop the next generation of researchers who can tackle and solve Latino cancer issues. However, the field of cancer control lacks Latino representation. Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training aims to increase ethnic diversity in cancer health disparities (CHD) by encouraging Latino master's-level students and master's-trained health professionals to complete a doctoral degree toward a successful career in CHD. Experimental Procedures: The Éxito! Program is based on the Minority Training Program in Cancer Control Research (MTPCCR), led by Dr. Rena Pasick at the University of California San Francisco. Éxito! was created after it was demonstrated that MTPCCR's Latino participants (12%) had an even lower rate of going to doctoral programs compared to African American (36%) and Asian participants (33%). Éxito! comprises two main components: a 5-day summer institute (SI) workshop and paid internships. During the SI, participants are exposed to interactive activities, tips/tools for applying and completing a doctoral degree, mentorship, and Latino CHD research. Internships are available for all SI program participants and alumni. The purpose of internships is to provide direct experiences for the student in Latino CHD research, and thereby greatly enhance their research skills. Éxito! program outcomes metrics include: monitor the number of participants who apply and are accepted into a doctoral program; increase participants' confidence to successfully apply to a doctoral program; and ultimately increase the number of participants who will successfully pursue a career in Latino CHD research. Outcomes are collected through five surveys: pre-/post-SI surveys, pre-/post-internship surveys, and an annual Alumni survey. Results: Since its inception in 2011, Éxito! has successfully trained 175 SI participants and awarded 37 internships. All students were U.S. citizens with the majority being U.S. born (77%), single (71.4%), and having no children (85%). At the time of attending the SI, the average age for participants was 28. Most participants came from California (29%), Texas (29%), and Puerto Rico (9%). Over the eight years of the program, results from the SI experience have demonstrated significant improvements across all measures of academic self-efficacy, as well as significant improvements in confidence towards applying to a doctoral program in the next five years. Internships successfully improved in students' research skills. Currently, 31 of SI alumni are currently enrolled in a doctoral program and seven have recently graduated from their doctoral program. Conclusion: Since its successful inception, Éxito! has been able to address issues specific to Latino students, recognize the value of their culture, and foster their confidence to pursue a doctorate and a career in cancer control research. Citation Format: Arely Perez, Kipling Gallion, Rena Pasick, Amelie Ramirez. Increasing Latino representation in cancer health disparities: The Éxito! Program [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2018 Nov 2-5; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl):Abstract nr A074.