Increasing representation and diversity in health research: A protocol of the MYHealth research training program for high school students.
<h4>Background</h4>Despite decades of calls for increased diversity in the health research workforce, disparities exist for many populations, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color individuals, those from low-income families, and first-generation college students. To increase r...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281790 |
| _version_ | 1797665941932212224 |
|---|---|
| author | Samantha A Chuisano Jane Rafferty Alison Allen Tammy Chang Matthew Diemer Kara Harris Lisa M Vaughn Daphne C Watkins Melissa DeJonckheere |
| author_facet | Samantha A Chuisano Jane Rafferty Alison Allen Tammy Chang Matthew Diemer Kara Harris Lisa M Vaughn Daphne C Watkins Melissa DeJonckheere |
| author_sort | Samantha A Chuisano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>Despite decades of calls for increased diversity in the health research workforce, disparities exist for many populations, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color individuals, those from low-income families, and first-generation college students. To increase representation of historically marginalized populations, there is a critical need to develop programs that strengthen their path toward health research careers. High school is a critically important time to catalyze interest and rebuild engagement among youth who may have previously felt excluded from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and health research careers.<h4>Methods</h4>The overall objective of the MYHealth program is to engage high school students in a community-based participatory research program focused on adolescent health. Investigators will work alongside community partners to recruit 9th through 12th graders who self-identify as a member of a group underrepresented in STEM or health research careers (e.g., based on race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, first generation college student, disability, etc.). MYHealth students are trained to be co-researchers who work alongside academic researchers, which will help them to envision themselves as scientists capable of positively impacting their communities through research. Implemented in three phases, the MYHealth program aims to foster a continuing interest in health research careers by developing: 1) researcher identities, 2) scientific literacy, 3) scientific self-efficacy, and 4) teamwork and leadership self-efficacy. In each phase, students will build knowledge and skills in research, ethics, data collection, data analysis, and dissemination. Students will directly collaborate with and be mentored by a team that includes investigators, community advisors, scientific advisors, and youth peers.<h4>Discussion</h4>Each year, a new cohort of up to 70 high school students will be enrolled in MYHealth. We anticipate the MYHealth program will increase interest and persistence in STEM and health research among groups that have been historically excluded in health research careers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T19:52:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-63a2f20a98c8406e8adc213bb61bbd34 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T19:52:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-63a2f20a98c8406e8adc213bb61bbd342023-10-05T05:31:53ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01189e028179010.1371/journal.pone.0281790Increasing representation and diversity in health research: A protocol of the MYHealth research training program for high school students.Samantha A ChuisanoJane RaffertyAlison AllenTammy ChangMatthew DiemerKara HarrisLisa M VaughnDaphne C WatkinsMelissa DeJonckheere<h4>Background</h4>Despite decades of calls for increased diversity in the health research workforce, disparities exist for many populations, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color individuals, those from low-income families, and first-generation college students. To increase representation of historically marginalized populations, there is a critical need to develop programs that strengthen their path toward health research careers. High school is a critically important time to catalyze interest and rebuild engagement among youth who may have previously felt excluded from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and health research careers.<h4>Methods</h4>The overall objective of the MYHealth program is to engage high school students in a community-based participatory research program focused on adolescent health. Investigators will work alongside community partners to recruit 9th through 12th graders who self-identify as a member of a group underrepresented in STEM or health research careers (e.g., based on race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, first generation college student, disability, etc.). MYHealth students are trained to be co-researchers who work alongside academic researchers, which will help them to envision themselves as scientists capable of positively impacting their communities through research. Implemented in three phases, the MYHealth program aims to foster a continuing interest in health research careers by developing: 1) researcher identities, 2) scientific literacy, 3) scientific self-efficacy, and 4) teamwork and leadership self-efficacy. In each phase, students will build knowledge and skills in research, ethics, data collection, data analysis, and dissemination. Students will directly collaborate with and be mentored by a team that includes investigators, community advisors, scientific advisors, and youth peers.<h4>Discussion</h4>Each year, a new cohort of up to 70 high school students will be enrolled in MYHealth. We anticipate the MYHealth program will increase interest and persistence in STEM and health research among groups that have been historically excluded in health research careers.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281790 |
| spellingShingle | Samantha A Chuisano Jane Rafferty Alison Allen Tammy Chang Matthew Diemer Kara Harris Lisa M Vaughn Daphne C Watkins Melissa DeJonckheere Increasing representation and diversity in health research: A protocol of the MYHealth research training program for high school students. PLoS ONE |
| title | Increasing representation and diversity in health research: A protocol of the MYHealth research training program for high school students. |
| title_full | Increasing representation and diversity in health research: A protocol of the MYHealth research training program for high school students. |
| title_fullStr | Increasing representation and diversity in health research: A protocol of the MYHealth research training program for high school students. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increasing representation and diversity in health research: A protocol of the MYHealth research training program for high school students. |
| title_short | Increasing representation and diversity in health research: A protocol of the MYHealth research training program for high school students. |
| title_sort | increasing representation and diversity in health research a protocol of the myhealth research training program for high school students |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281790 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samanthaachuisano increasingrepresentationanddiversityinhealthresearchaprotocolofthemyhealthresearchtrainingprogramforhighschoolstudents AT janerafferty increasingrepresentationanddiversityinhealthresearchaprotocolofthemyhealthresearchtrainingprogramforhighschoolstudents AT alisonallen increasingrepresentationanddiversityinhealthresearchaprotocolofthemyhealthresearchtrainingprogramforhighschoolstudents AT tammychang increasingrepresentationanddiversityinhealthresearchaprotocolofthemyhealthresearchtrainingprogramforhighschoolstudents AT matthewdiemer increasingrepresentationanddiversityinhealthresearchaprotocolofthemyhealthresearchtrainingprogramforhighschoolstudents AT karaharris increasingrepresentationanddiversityinhealthresearchaprotocolofthemyhealthresearchtrainingprogramforhighschoolstudents AT lisamvaughn increasingrepresentationanddiversityinhealthresearchaprotocolofthemyhealthresearchtrainingprogramforhighschoolstudents AT daphnecwatkins increasingrepresentationanddiversityinhealthresearchaprotocolofthemyhealthresearchtrainingprogramforhighschoolstudents AT melissadejonckheere increasingrepresentationanddiversityinhealthresearchaprotocolofthemyhealthresearchtrainingprogramforhighschoolstudents |