Research Training Program Research Articles

Consortium for violence prevention research, leadership training, and implementation for excellence (CONVERGE): a protocol to train science leaders in gender-based-violence and violence-against-children research for impact.

Gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against children (VAC) are two prevalent and highly interconnected global health challenges, yet data and research capacities to study these forms of violence and to generate evidence-based policies and programs remain limited. To address critical shortages in research capacity in Vietnam and to establish a model for other Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), we are establishing CONVERGE-the Consortium for Violence Prevention Research, Implementation, and Leadership Training for Excellence. Based on a needs assessment with partners in Vietnam, CONVERGE will provide a comprehensive research training program supporting 15 long-term, postdoctoral trainees with multi-disciplinary research training in GBV and VAC. We also will offer in-country trainings and short-courses to 40 short-term mid-career academic trainees and 60 short-term practitioner/stakeholder trainees over 5 years to build productive GBV and VAC academic, scientific, and practitioner networks. The CONVERGE training program has four components: (1) 14 h of virtual/in-person annual mentorship training to prepare research mentors and to create a pipeline of future mentors in Vietnam; (2) a one-month intensive research training for long-term postdoctoral fellows at Emory University; (3) a structured 17-month, in-country mentored research project for long-term trainees that results in a peer-reviewed manuscript and a subsequent grant submission; and, (4) week-long in-country intensive translational trainings on implementation science, advanced topics in leadership, and advanced topics in science dissemination. Opportunities for on-going virtual training and professional networking will be provided for CONVERGE trainees and mentors in Vietnam with other trainees and mentors of D43s focused on injury/violence prevention, D43s housed at Emory, and D43s with other institutions in Southeast Asia. To assess the reach, implementation, fidelity, and effectiveness of these four components, we will implement a rigorous, mixed-methods, multi-level evaluation strategy using process and outcome measures. Findings from the evaluation will be used to refine program components for future trainee and mentor cohorts and to assess long-term program impact. Led by Emory University in the US and Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam, CONVERGE represents leading institutions and experts from around the world, with a goal of providing mentorship opportunities for early-career scientists with an interest in violence prevention.

The Alberta Indigenous Mentorship in Health Innovation Network: approach, activities and reflections of an Indigenous mentorship network programme

The Alberta Indigenous Mentorship in Health Innovation (AIM-HI) Network was developed by Indigenous faculty members as an intergenerational mentorship programme for First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) scholars engaged in health research training programmes. Through activities and funding programmes, the AIM-HI Network provided opportunities for these scholars to strengthen their personal and professional resources and gain resilience along paths to academic success. While generating evidence on wise practices for Indigenous mentorship, we also advocated for systemic change to enable Indigenous scholar promotion and success in academia and in health research more broadly. In this article, we describe the philosophical approach to mentorship and the organizational structure to deliver aligning activities and supports to students. We also reflect on the successes and learnings from our leadership of the Network, including the impact of the coronavirus-19 pandemic on FNMI scholars, and the ways in which the Network adapted to address these challenges.

179-LB: Should We Screen with a Fasting Blood Glucose Test? A Novel Two-Step Screening Strategy for Gestational Diabetes—A Large Tertiary Comparative Cohort Study

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosis is resource intensive and controversial. A modified COVID-19 GDM diagnostic method was introduced at Western Health Melbourne, an Australian tertiary hospital caring for a multi-ethnic population with a high GDM prevalence at 20-23%. In place of a universal 2 hour 75g OGTT, a novel two step diagnostic method was instituted. A fasting blood glucose (FBG) was performed with thresholds based on a secondary analysis of HAPO data. A FBG of ≥5.1mmol/L (91.8mg/dL) diagnosed GDM; women with FBG 4.7-5.0mmol/L (84.6-90.0mg/dL) proceeded to an OGTT (IADPSG diagnostic criteria); FBG ≤4.6mmol/L (82.8mg/dL) was considered to exclude GDM. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies birthing after 20 weeks’ gestation compared perinatal outcomes in 6469 women who underwent modified screening (MS) during the COVID-19 pandemic with 8669 women who had conventional screening (CS) prior to COVID-19. Results: GDM prevalence was the same using either MS or CS (22.9 vs 22.2% p=0.31) with similar rates of insulin use. There was no difference in the prevalence of large for gestational age infants (10.3 vs 9.4% p=0.06), pre-term birth (6.6 vs 6.4% p=0.53) or gestational age at birth (39.2 vs 39.1 weeks). Mean birth weight was increased with MS (3335g vs 3307g) and small for gestational age rate reduced (9.1 vs 10.5% p=0.01). The MS group had fewer inductions (34.2 vs 39.8% p<0.01). Primary caesarean section rate was unchanged (18.4 vs 18.4% p=0.91). MS reduced the need for an OGTT by 76%. Women with a FBG ≤4.6mmol/L by MS had non-inferior outcomes compared to women with a FBG ≤4.6mmol/L with CS irrespective of GDM diagnosis. Conclusion: In a large multi-ethnic cohort with a high prevalence of GDM, modified screening using FBG greatly reduced the number of resource intensive OGTTs with non-inferior perinatal outcomes. A prospective randomised trial comparing these methods is warranted. Disclosure J. Deitch: None. J. M. Said: None. G. R. Teale: None. D. Kevat: Advisory Panel; Novo Nordisk, Speaker's Bureau; Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly Alliance, Novo Nordisk, Abbott Diabetes, AstraZeneca. I. Lee: None. C. J. Yates: None. E. Kathpal: None. P. Lawton: None. I. Shahid: None. C. Steele: None. P. S. Hamblin: None. B. Krishnamurthy: None. Funding Australian Government Research Training Program; Sheppard Millar Lowe Research Trust Scholarship

Is Science Identity a Predictor or an Outcome of Learning Research Skills? Analyses of Evaluation Data from a Training Program to EnhanceResearch Career Preparation of Diverse Undergraduate Students.

This study examined the role of science identity in a two-year upper-division research training program that prepares diverse undergraduate students for a research career. Using the annual year-end student evaluation data, we examined whether science identity is a predictor or an outcome of learning that enhances career preparation in biomedical research. Results showed that science identity is a predictor of learning in our trainees. In general, students with stronger science identity at the end of Year 2 reported having acquired more research skills and experiences through the program. This finding demonstrates that science identity makes learning research skills meaningful and purposeful. Preliminary analyses also showed that the levels of science identity did not differ between Years 1 and 2. In fact, science identity approached the maximum possible scores in both years. These findings imply that the training program could have succeeded in bolstering participants' science identity early by the end of the first year. Our findings do not rule out the possibility that science identity is both a predictor and an outcome of learning, depending on the specific contexts of learning as well as learners' specific developmental phases. Further studies are needed to systematically test these and other possibilities.

0849 A Cross-Sectional Survey of Cannabis as a Sleep Aid in Canadian Cancer Survivors

Abstract Introduction Cannabis is increasingly used to manage cancer treatment-related symptoms. This study investigated the use and perceived effects of cannabis as a sleep aid in Canadian cancer survivors. Methods Canadian cancer survivors (N=1492) completed a self-report questionnaire about their use of cannabis as a sleep aid. Results Of participants, 24% (n=356) reported currently using cannabis as a sleep aid (Mage = 61; 88% white, 78% in remission). Two thirds (67%; n=238) report only starting to use cannabis for sleep after their cancer diagnosis. Reported benefits include that cannabis helps them relax (59%) and fall asleep faster (48%). Half of participants (49%) use cannabis for sleep over 4-6 times a week, meeting the criteria for regular cannabis use and 53% have been using cannabis as a sleep aid for more than 2 years. Cannabis is most commonly used in the form of edibles (58%) and oils/ sprays (45%). Only 19% have authorization from a healthcare provider and 56% obtain their cannabis from a government regulated site. There was a mix of cannabinoid content in the products used, including products that contain mostly CBD (22%), mostly THC (35%), balanced amounts of CBD and THC (32%), and 8% do not know the formulation of the cannabis they consume. The most common reasons for trying cannabis for sleep were a recommendation from family/friends (43%), their own research (35%), and that they believed it to be more natural than medication (31%). Of those who use cannabis for sleep, 31% also use it to reduce pain and 23% use it recreationally. Conclusion Estimates suggest that one in four Canadian cancer survivors’ regularly use cannabis to improve their sleep. Given the prevalence and potential impact, more research is needed to examine the actual efficacy of cannabis as a sleep aid. Support (if any) Rachel Lee is a trainee in the Cancer Research Training Program of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, with funds generously provided by the Canadian Cancer Society’s JD Irving, Limited – Excellence in Cancer Research Fund. Dr Garland is supported by a Canadian Cancer Society Emerging Scholar Award (Survivorship) (grant #707146).

0884 User Needs and Preferences for a Smartphone App to Treat Insomnia in Cancer Survivors

Abstract Introduction Cancer patients with insomnia have unique needs and require tailored healthcare interventions. iCANSleep is a mobile health intervention aimed at providing evidence-based insomnia treatment via a smartphone app. As part of a user-centered development process, virtual needs assessment interviews were conducted with cancer survivors who report insomnia to determine the needs and preferences of this patient group for insomnia treatment. Methods 22 cancer survivors from 5 Canadian provinces completed an online survey and participated in a needs assessment interview. Surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results 81.8% (18/22) of cancer survivors report that their insomnia started or was exacerbated during the time of their cancer diagnosis and treatment. Of the participants who discussed insomnia with a medical provider, hypnotic medications were prescribed in 64.3% (9/14) of cases. With some exceptions, participants reported strong familiarity with smartphone technology, had experience using apps for health management, and found an insomnia treatment app highly acceptable. Participant-identified facilitators of app use included ease of access, lack of cost, anonymity, empirical basis, and recommendation by local care teams. Smartphone ownership, cumbersome user interface, and limited access to internet were raised as potential challenges of implementation. Additional functionality identified by participants included options to link consumer wearable devices, additional modules to address comorbid conditions such as pain and anxiety, and an anonymous peer support forum. Conclusion Mobile apps hold promise as an avenue for the effective delivery of insomnia treatment; however, treatments must be evidence-based, and apps must be designed for maximum ease of use. Findings provide novel insight into how to best promote uptake and sustained use of mobile health interventions in cancer survivors and will be used to develop functional guidelines. Support (if any) Samlau Kutana is a trainee in the Cancer Research Training Program of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, with funds provided by the Canadian Cancer Society’s JD Irving, Limited – Excellence in Cancer Research Fund. Dr. Sheila Garland is supported by a Canadian Cancer Society Emerging Scholar Award (Survivorship) (grant #707146).

0868 Low-Fidelity Usability Testing of a Smartphone App to Treat Insomnia in Cancer Survivors

Abstract Introduction Cancer patients and survivors experience insomnia at a higher rate than the general population. Mobile health (mHealth) applications have considerable promise for the treatment of insomnia, but have been criticized for not following evidence-based treatment guidelines. To make insomnia treatment more accessible for survivors, iCANSleep has been developed using user-centered design principles to administer Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia via a smartphone app. The current research presents insights from the low-fidelity usability testing phase of development Methods Usability testing is an iterative process of testing an intervention’s user-interface and then applying the results to redesign the prototype to meet users’ needs. Eight cancer survivors from across Canada viewed a video demonstration of the app and completed semi-structured interviews about the app’s design and content. All interviews took place through video conferencing software and were recorded. Researchers transcribed interview responses and analyzed them for common themes. Results Participants (71% Female; Mage: 53) were generally very impressed with the design and layout of the app. Most (75%) participants were very interested in trying the app and reported that they would complete the app’s treatment program. Participants appreciated the integration of cancer-specific stories and material, the app’s simple, user-friendly design, the use of incentives and reinforcements, and the depth and breadth of its content. Those interviewed commented on the comprehensive sleep diary within the app and its apparent simplicity. Suggestions were made to streamline the onboarding and replace animations with real people. Conclusion User-centered development of the app is promising. The app’s patient-centeredness, accessibility, simplicity, and thoroughness were highlighted as strengths. The development team will integrate these results into the continued app development while working to make onboarding material more engaging. It is important to continue to engage patients throughout to ensure user engagement and effective care. Support (if any) Samlau Kutana is a trainee in the Cancer Research Training Program of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, with funds provided by the Canadian Cancer Society’s JD Irving, Limited – Excellence in Cancer Research Fund. Dr. Sheila Garland is supported by a Canadian Cancer Society Emerging Scholar Award (Survivorship) (grant #707146).

Capacity building through comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship: an approach for translating knowledge into practice

BackgroundImplementation research (IR) is increasingly gaining popularity as the act of carrying an intention into effect. It is thus an important approach to addressing individual practices, policies, programmes and other technologies to solving public health problems. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to experience public health problems which could be addressed using implementation research. These countries however fall behind prioritizing implementation research due to the disorganized approach used to providing knowledge about the value and scope of implementation research. This paper seeks to explain steps taken to resolve this by capacity strengthening activities through a comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship programme which was informed by needs assessment.MethodsThe roll-out of the comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship was done in phases, including engaging the implementation research community through TDR Global, competency building for programme officers and ethical review board/committee members, and practical guidance to develop an implementation research proposal. The Bloom taxonomy guided the training whilst the Kirkpatrick Model was used for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the capacity building.ResultsThe findings identified critical areas of mentors and how mentorship should be structured and the most effective ways of delivering mentorship. These findings were used to develop a mentorship guide in IR. The mentorship guidance is to be used as a check-tool for mentoring participants during trainings as part of the package of resources in implementation research. It is also to be used in equipping review board members with knowledge on ethical issues in implementation research.ConclusionThe approach for providing comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship for programme personnel has provided an opportunity for both potential mentors and mentees to make inputs into developing a mentorship guidance for LMICs. This guidance would help address mentorship initiation and implementation challenges in IR.

Health Disparities in Appalachian and Other Rural Communities.

Rural areas are home to a larger proportion of older adults and populations who age within these locales and suffer disproportionately from health, mental health, and economic disparities compared to their urban counterparts. This article will explore the disparities faced by persons that reside in rural communities across the lifespan. It will briefly discuss what is meant by rural. As a rural region at specific risk, the issues confronting those aging in Appalachia will be examined. Finally, best practices and future directions to combat health disparities among rural residents and elders will be discussed. This includes the Appalachian Gerontology Experiences: Advancing Diversity in Aging Research training program which recruits and trains minority and first-generation undergraduate students in aging and health disparity research.

C57BL/6 mice cohoused with pet shop mice phenocopy immune-related adverse events associated with checkpoint inhibition

Abstract Checkpoint inhibition has been successful in the treatment of a number of malignancies. These medications block inhibitory pathways in T cells and allow for their improved function in anti-tumor immune responses. An important factor limiting checkpoint inhibitor therapy is immune-related adverse events (irAE), which can involve any organ system. It is currently not possible to predict which patients will develop irAE or which tissues will be affected. Our understanding of the cellular and molecular factors driving irAE development remains limited, as immune sufficient specific pathogen free (SPF) C57BL/6 mice do not develop irAE when treated with checkpoint inhibition. We have previously reported that C57BL/6 mice cohoused with pet shop mice recapitulate aspects of the human adult immune system, while SPF C57BL/6 mice have immune systems resembling that of human neonates. We hypothesized that checkpoint inhibition in C57BL/6 mice cohoused with pet shop mice will phenocopy irAE development in humans. Here, we report that treating “dirty” C57BL/6 mice with anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD-L1 resulted in the development of irAE, including nephritis, dermatitis, and hepatitis, as evaluated by histology and serum lab values. Ongoing experiments include depletion of CD4 and CD8 T cells to determine whether irAE are mediated by these cells. To our knowledge, this represents the first model of irAE in immune sufficient C57BL/6 mice, enabling further investigation into the mechanistic understanding of irAE and development of treatments targeting irAE while leaving anti-tumor responses intact. DIABETES T32 RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM

Development of a near peer mentoring academy to provide guidance to PhD students and postdoctoral fellows participating in short-term research training programs

Short-term research training programs for undergraduate scholars provide research opportunities, particularly in underserved research areas and to underrepresented scholars. These training programs benefit greatly from “near peers” serving as daily laboratory mentors and supervisors for the scholars. Near peers are defined as post-doctoral fellows, pre-doctoral students, and/or mentors’ laboratory staff. These near peers are usually associated with the research mentor’s laboratory and assist the undergraduate student or short-term scholar with day-to-day laboratory training, as well as professional and career development. The experience for many near peers and undergraduate scholars, has been shown to have a mutual and lasting impact on the development of their careers in research. Given the brief nature of these training programs, it is even more important for near peers to engage effectively with scholars, which leads to the formation of a ready community of scholars and near peers with the potential to positively impact their career development. Our short-term training program strives to develop and retain scholars in our kidney, urology, and non-malignant hematology (KUH) undergraduate research experience (KURE) community and larger KUH research community. Through the innovative ideas of near peers and program leadership, we developed a KUH Undergraduate Research Experience-Mentoring Academy (KURE-MA) to deepen engagement for near peers and early stage investigators (ESI) in the KUH community. Through focus group and survey analysis, along with a key administrative supplement from the NIH’s DEIA mentorship excellence fund, the KURE-MA was developed to train near peers on important elements of mentoring, particularly mentoring undergraduates interested in KUH research areas. By providing scholar-informed and ESI led mentor development training to near peers across research areas, the KURE-MA has engaged 20 ESI facilitators and 44 near peer participants. Of the 20 ESI faculty, 40% are underrepresented in medicine, and the near peers include 41% from underrepresented backgrounds. The near peer group consists of PhD students and postdoctoral fellows in UAB T32 programs, prior short-term R25 program participants, gap year interns, as well as others throughout the KUH community at UAB. This presentation will show the opportunity provided through near peer input utilizing a focus group for program content development. In addition, we will address how the KURE-MA has broadened the reach of the KUH community through improving opportunities for continued engagement and professional development. NIH R25DK115353; R25DK115353-05S1 This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Evaluating a research training programme for frontline health workers in conflict-affected and fragile settings in the middle east

BackgroundHealth Research Capacity Building (HRCB) is key to improving research production among health workers in LMICs to inform related policies and reduce health disparities in conflict settings. However, few HRCB programmes are available in the MENA region, and few evaluations of HRCB globally are reported in the literature.MethodsThrough a qualitative longitudinal design, we evaluated the first implementation of the Center for Research and Education in the Ecology of War (CREEW) fellowship. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fellows (n = 5) throughout the programme at key phases during their completion of courses and at each research phase. Additional data was collected from supervisors and peers of fellows at their organizations. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis and presented under pre-identified themes.ResultsDespite the success of most fellows in learning on how to conduct research on AMR in conflict settings and completing the fellowship by producing research outputs, important challenges were identified. Results are categorized under predefined categories of (1) course delivery, (2) proposal development, (3) IRB application, (4) data collection, (5) data analysis, (6) manuscript write-up, (7) long-term effects, and (8) mentorship and networking.ConclusionThe CREEW model, based on this evaluation, shows potential to be replicable and scalable to other contexts and other health-related topics. Detailed discussion and analysis are presented in the manuscript and synthesized recommendations are highlighted for future programmes to consider during the design, implementation, and evaluation of such programmes.

118 The Undergrad Experience: Insights of a clinical research training program aimed at undergraduate students

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Establishing a career trajectory geared towards undergraduates interested in a biomedical career has led to the development of a Clinical Research Training (CRT) Program. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the student experience of the program. It is our hopes to train the next generation of clinical researchers straight out of undergrad. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Establishing the success of the recently established Clinical Research Training Program and creating quality improvement measures has been analyzed with a focus on 5 domains. Outcome quality measurements and evaluation of the following domains have been completed from a student’s experience. These domains include: 1) the capstone course, 2) the internship experience, 3) career development opportunities, 4) hands-on training opportunities, and 5) post-baccalaureate career plans or career attainment. Each of these outcomes have been collected from students who have completed the program as well as students currently enrolled. Data will be obtained via qualitative measures such as course surveys, Likert scale ratings, and evaluation of data-based outcomes. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: In this ongoing study, results will demonstrate there is a percentage of students who were directed into clinical research positions due to their exposure to the clinical research world during their undergraduate training. Transferable skills such as CITI training, knowledge of good clinical practice, and familiarity of current research topics are associated with a higher likelihood to pursue a career in clinical research. Students placed within an associated internship slot with the community partners has also led to an increase in career placement in clinical research. Other factors provided by the course such as establishment of an extensive network, exposure to career pathways related to clinical research, and an increase in cross-trainings that lead to increased advancement in the scientific domain. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: To address clinical research workforce gaps by training students during their undergraduate education. Also, by addressing this gap, we can begin to strengthen the career trajectory and goals of students interested in a career in the life sciences. By targeting this workforce, it can lead to an increase in diversity and retention in the workforce.

116 The long-term impact of a practice-oriented research training program for clinical and translational research staff and clinicians: Evaluating workforce development outcomes over time and professional careers.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: There are few training programs for health research staff and clinicians like The Practice-Oriented Research Training program, that include opportunities to conduct funded clinical and translational research. The goal of this study is to evaluate the long-term impact of this program on participants professional development and advancement. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The Practice-Oriented Research Training program for health research staff and clinicians was operated by the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research from 2008 through 2018. Participants received training and formed teams that received financial support to conduct a clinical or translational study with a faculty mentor. Eleven cohorts comprising 111 individuals participated. The long-term impact of the program was evaluated using sequential mixed methods. All participants were invited to evaluate the program via an online survey in 2021. Respondents were invited to participate in interviews in 2022. Secondary records of the participants’ publications, grants, and professional advancement were collected. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: 68 participants in the PORT program published 345 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals following the program, averaging over 5 publications per participant. These publications have been cited over 4000 times with an average of over 13 citations per paper. Large proportion of program participants have continued contributing to health research; the vast majority of program participation chose to continue at the University of Michigan. Survey results indicate participants’ belief that the program had wide-ranging and enduring impacts on key aspects of their careers, including their application of research to practice. Interviews confirmed that the program helped many participants make substantial advancement in their careers. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Training programs for health research staff and clinicians can have a substantial and enduring impact on their professional development and advancement. The need for programs like PORT will increase as the health research workforce grows. These results inform recommendations for translational scientists.

Design and implementation characteristics of research training for rural health professionals: a qualitative descriptive study

BackgroundResearch capacity and capability of rural health professionals is essential to the delivery of evidence-based care and for informing strategies to address rural health inequities. Effective implementation of research education and training is fundamental to building rural health professional research capacity and capability. A lack of overarching guidance to inform the delivery of research education and training in rural health services can contribute to gaps in capacity-building approaches. The aim of this study was to identify characteristics of the design and implementation of current research training for rural health professionals in Victoria, Australia, to inform a future model for rural health professional research capacity and capability building.MethodsA qualitative descriptive study was undertaken. Key informants, with extensive knowledge of research education and training in rural health services in Victoria, were invited to participate in semi-structured telephone interviews via snowballing recruitment methods. Interview transcripts were analysed inductively, with themes and codes mapped to the domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.ResultsOf the 40 key informants approached, 20 agreed to participate including 11 regional health service managers, five rural health academics and four university managers. Participants suggested that research training varied in quality and relevance to rural health professionals. Training costs and lack of tailoring to the rural context were key barriers, whereas experiential learning and flexible modes of delivery enabled training uptake. Health service and government policies, structures, and processes both enabled or stifled implementation opportunities, with rural health professional networks from different regions offering capacity for research training development, and government departmental structures hampering training coordination. Tension between research activities and clinical practice, and health professional knowledge and beliefs, shaped the delivery of training programs. Strategically planned and evaluated research training programs and education via co-design with rural health professionals and use of research champions were strongly recommended by participants.ConclusionsTo optimise research training for rural health professionals and increase the quality and quantity of relevant rural health research, a systematically planned, implemented, and resourced region-wide research training model is required.

Effect of antenatal corticosteroid administration-to-birth interval on maternal and newborn outcomes: a systematic review

Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) are highly effective at improving outcomes for preterm newborns. Evidence suggests the benefits of ACS may vary with the time interval between administration-to-birth. However, the optimal ACS administration-to-birth interval is not yet known. In this systematic review, we synthesised available evidence on the relationship between ACS administration-to-birth interval and maternal and newborn outcomes. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021253379). We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Global Index Medicus on 11 Nov 2022 with no date or language restrictions. Randomised and non-randomised studies of pregnant women receiving ACS for preterm birth where maternal and newborn outcomes were reported for different administration-to-birth intervals were eligible. Eligibility screening, data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed by two authors independently. Fetal and neonatal outcomes included perinatal and neonatal mortality, preterm birth-related morbidity outcomes and mean birthweight. Maternal outcomes included chorioamnionitis, maternal mortality, endometritis, and maternal intensive care unit admission. Ten trials (4592 women; 5018 neonates), 45 cohort studies (at least 22,992 women; 30,974 neonates) and two case-control studies (355 women; 360 neonates) met the eligibility criteria. Across studies, 37 different time interval combinations were identified. There was considerable heterogeneity in included administration-to-birth intervals and populations. The odds of neonatal mortality, respiratory distress syndrome and intraventricular haemorrhage were associated with the ACS administration-to-birth interval. However, the interval associated with the greatest improvements in newborn outcomes was not consistent across studies. No reliable data were available for maternal outcomes, though odds of chorioamnionitis might be associated with longer intervals. An optimal ACS administration-to-birth interval likely exists, however variations in study design limit identification of this interval from available evidence. Future research should consider advanced analysis techniques such as individual patient data meta-analysis to identify which ACS administration-to-birth intervals are most beneficial, and how these benefits can be optimised for women and newborns. This study was conducted with funding support from the UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (SRH), a co-sponsored programme executed by the World Health Organization.

Influence of participant and reviewer characteristics in application scores for a hematology research training program

AbstractThe American Society of Hematology Clinical Research Training Institute (CRTI) is a clinical research training program with a competitive application process. The objectives were to compare application scores based on applicant and reviewer sex and underrepresented minority (URM) status. We included applications to CRTI from 2003 to 2019. The application scores were transformed into a scale from 0 to 100 (100 was the strongest). The factors considered were applicant and reviewer sex and URM status. We evaluated whether there was an interaction between the characteristics and time related to application scores. In total, 713 applicants and 2106 reviews were included. There was no significant difference in scores according to applicant sex. URM applicants had significantly worse scores than non-URM applicants (mean [standard error] 67.9 [1.56] vs 71.4 [0.63]; P = .0355). There were significant interactions between reviewer sex and time (P = .0030) and reviewer URM status and time (P = .0424); thus, results were stratified by time. For the 2 earlier time periods, male reviewers gave significantly worse scores than did female reviewers; this difference did not persist for the most recent time period. The URM reviewers did not give significantly different scores across time periods. URM applicants received significantly lower scores than non-URM applicants. The impact of reviewer sex and URM status changed over time. Although male reviewers gave lower scores in the early periods, this effect did not persist in the late period. Efforts are required to mitigate the impact of applicant URM status on application scores.

Training the next generation of delivery science researchers: 10-year experience of a post-doctoral research fellowship program within an integrated care system.

Learning health systems require a workforce of researchers trained in the methods of identifying and overcoming barriers to effective, evidence-based care. Most existing postdoctoral training programs, such as NIH-funded postdoctoral T32 awards, support basic and epidemiological science with very limited focus on rigorous delivery science methods for improving care. In this report, we present the 10-year experience of developing and implementing a Delivery Science postdoctoral fellowship embedded within an integrated health care delivery system. In 2012, the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research designed and implemented a 2-year postdoctoral Delivery Science Fellowship research training program to foster research expertise in identifying and addressing barriers to evidence-based care within health care delivery systems. Since 2014, 20 fellows have completed the program. Ten fellows had PhD-level scientific training, and 10 fellows had clinical doctorates (eg, MD, RN/PhD, PharmD). Fellowship alumni have graduated to faculty research positions at academic institutions (9), and research or clinical organizations (4). Seven alumni now hold positions in Kaiser Permanente's clinical operations or medical group (7). This delivery science fellowship program has succeeded in training graduates to address delivery science problems from both research and operational perspectives. In the next 10 years, additional goals of the program will be to expand its reach (eg, by developing joint research training models in collaboration with clinical fellowships) and strengthen mechanisms to support transition from fellowship to the workforce, especially for researchers from underrepresented groups.

ការលើកកម្ពស់ការស្រាវជ្រាវនៅឧត្តមសិក្សាកម្ពុជា៖ កាលានុវត្តភាព បញ្ហាប្រឈម និងអនុសាសន៍សម្រាប់គោលនយោបាយ

• Research in higher education in Cambodia has seen new developments over the past decade. However, there are remaining challenges that need to be addressed to nurture a robust culture of research in the subsector. • To ensure the smooth process of research development in Cambodian higher education, it is important to establish a clear vision and policy for research, with a clear financial commitment, at both the national and institutional levels. Although some research policies exist, more efforts are needed to ensure the effectiveness of the implementation of such research-oriented policies. • It is also crucial to develop research-supporting mechanisms or systems that can stimulate research interests and encourage research activities among Cambodian researchers, academics, and students. This can be done through various means, including the ongoing provision of competitive research funding, research reward schemes, research incentives, research mentorship and training, and research dissemination platforms. • The development of research-supporting mechanisms or systems is essential to nurture a conducive environment for research to grow. Developing such an environment requires a lot of efforts and commitment, and great attention needs to be paid to various factors that facilitate research, including investment in research and research infrastructure, development of an ecosystem that supports research such as research training and mentoring programs, development of communities of research practice, as well as academic promotion, recruitment, and retention that are based on research.

Explicit and implicit weight bias among health care students: a cross-sectional study of 39 Australian universities

Weight bias exhibited by health care students may continue into their future practice, compromising the provision of care that people living with overweight or obesity receive. This highlights the need to comprehensively examine the extent to which weight bias is present among health care students and the factors that may be associated with students' weight bias. In this cross-sectional study, Australian university students enrolled in health care courses were invited via social media advertisements, snowball and convenience sampling, and by making direct contact with universities to complete an online survey. Students provided demographic information including discipline of study, perceived weight status, and state of residence. Students then completed several measures which assessed their explicit and implicit weight bias, and empathy. Descriptive statistics established the presence of explicit and implicit weight bias, and ANCOVAs, ANOVA, and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the potential factors associated with students' exhibited weight bias. Between March 08, 2022, and March 15, 2022, 900 eligible health care students attending 39 Australian universities participated in the study. Students reported varying levels of explicit and implicit weight bias, with minimal differences between disciplines on most outcome measures. Students who identified as men (vs. women) exhibited higher of both explicit and implicit bias (Beliefs About Obese Persons (BAOP): p=0.0002, Antifat Attitudes Questionnaire (AFA)-Dislike: p=0.019, AFA Willpower p<0.0001, Empathy for Obese Patients: p=0.0011, Implicit Association Test: p=0.022), and students who displayed greater (vs. less) empathic concern exhibited lower levels of explicit bias (BAOP, AFA Dislike and Willpower, and Empathy for Obese Patients: p<0.0001). Having witnessed the enactment of weight stigma sporadically (vs. regularly) by role models was associated with greater attribution of the causes of obesity to willpower (a few times a month vs. daily: p=0.020, a few times a year vs. daily: p=0.022), and less time spent with people living with overweight or obesity outside of study was associated with more dislike (a few times a month vs. daily: p=0.0048, once a month vs. daily: p=0.0002) and less fear of fat (once a month vs. daily: p=0.036, and once a month vs. a few times a week: p=0.0028). Results demonstrate the presence of both explicit and implicit weight bias among Australian health care students. Several characteristics and experiences of students were associated with their weight bias. Validity of the exhibited weight bias should be established in practical interactions with people living with overweight or obesity and novel interventions should be developed to ameliorate weight bias. Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, Australian Government, Department of Education.