Abstract
ABSTRACT Given the well-documented inequities in health care outcomes by race, ethnicity, and gender, many health career pipeline programs have focused on supporting the development of a diverse and inclusive workforce. The State of Utah, is vast, but sparsely populated outside the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. More than 96% of our nearly 85,000 square miles is designated rural (<100 people/square mile) or frontier (<7 people/square mile). The Salt Lake City area is home to the Hunsman Cancer Institute, the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the region, also noted the limited diversity in the biomedical cancer research workforce. Our primary objective was to increase the number of underrepresented trainees who pursue higher education with the goal of a career in cancer research. PathMaker is a regional, competitive pipeline program that nurtures high school or undergraduate trainees from historically underrepresented backgrounds towards a career in cancer research. Our faculty and staff team collaboratively developed a cohort model curriculum that increased student awareness of research career options; provided academic and professional development, cultural and social support, evolutionary success strategies, active mentorship, and leadership skill development; and fostered an environment of continuous evaluation and improvement. Since pilot program initiation in May 2016, the PathMaker Research Program (PathMaker) has engaged a total of 44 underrepresented trainees in cancer research labs at Huntsman Cancer Institute, the majority still in college. Eleven trainees graduated college: five employed in STEM, one pursuing a PhD in STEM; two in medical school, and three are lost to follow-up. Alumni report high levels of satisfaction with PathMaker and will be followed and supported for academic success. PathMaker is a replicable model to increase diversity and inclusion in the biomedical cancer research workforce.
Highlights
The drop in historically underrepresented students (HUS) on the path towards becoming independent scientists has been well-documented [1,2]
In 2010, the number of PhD recipients in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields to persons who identify as Latinx and Black was approximately 7% [4]
Consistent with national classifica tions[19], underrepresented populations in biomedi cal cancer research were identified as Black (B), American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN), Pacific Islander (PI), and Latinx (L)
Summary
The drop in historically underrepresented students (HUS) on the path towards becoming independent scientists has been well-documented [1,2]. In 2010, Latinx, Black, and American Indian persons represented more than a third of the population in the USA [3]. In 2010, the number of PhD recipients in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields to persons who identify as Latinx and Black was approximately 7% [4]. The Mountain West region, the catchment area for Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI), encompasses the five-state area of Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Nevada and includes federally recognized American Indian Nations, rural and frontier popula tions, and an increasingly diverse population[5]. Utah is home to a growing Latinx popula tion (approximating 450,000, 14.2%), part of the Navajo Nation (the largest Indian reservation in the USA), and the highest percentage of Pacific Islanders in any state outside of Hawaii[6]. With the addition of other immigrant populations, over 120 languages are spo ken in the state[8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
