A highly qualified HIV research workforce that reflects a wide variety of experience and perspectives is essential to improve the relevance of HIV research to communities most affected by HIV; to facilitate creative, novel, and context-specific approaches to reaching all people at risk for and living with HIV; and ultimately end the HIV epidemic. People who have been historically and disproportionately less represented in the healthcare workforce face specific barriers to participation in HIV research at all stages of their education and training, from early school-age years through graduate school, fellowship, and faculty positions. These barriers include lack of exposure to research opportunities, unavailable or insufficiently trained mentors, lack of support networks, and unconscious bias.
Members of the HU CFAR participate in multiple existing programs to train and mentor such investigators. These include conferences, symposia, and individual mentorship that encourage interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers, biomedical research, and HIV in particular, as well as programs that support students across different stages of their academic careers.
For advice on how and which of the following programs to get involved, please contact:
Programs:
Fostering Diversity in HIV Research: This program, for HIV ESIs who identify as being underrepresented in medicine, provides structured mentoring from MGH and SPH faculty, formal didactics and community of practice events, individual mentor pairings, and funding for project support, travel, and publication. The program has served trainees and involved 50 HU CFAR faculty to date, with HU CFAR support for workshops and trainees. This reflects a cross-CFAR collaboration in that it builds from the Mentoring the Mentor curriculum developed by Drs. Monica Gandhi, Jonathan Fuchs, and Mallory Johnson in the UCSF CFAR.
Ragon Institute Summer Experience (RISE): This program at the Ragon Institute (an MGH-, Harvard-, and MIT-affiliated Institute dedicated to immunologic research to prevent and cure human disease) provides internships and didactic teaching to high school students from the Boston area. Dr. Ghebremichael is a RISE mentor and supports program planning and expansion.
BWH Research Infectious Disease (ID) and Global Engagement (BRIDGE): With support from both BWH and the HU CFAR, this new program pairs interns undergraduates and medical students with ID faculty mentors for 8-week summer internships. The program includes didactic sessions on research skills, clinical conferences, and project and career mentoring. Stipends for housing, meals, and transport are provided. BRIDGE is led by Dr. Shahin Lockman (HU CFAR member), Dr. Sophia Koo and LaKeisha Gandy.
