key program elements

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Commitment

- To train and develop 250 new clinical investigators dedicated to increasing diversity in clinical trials (~50/year) 

- To provide immersive community-based experiences in clinical trial research to 250 underrepresented minority medical students (Note: the Pipeline program will launch in the summer of 2022. Applications will open in Oct/Nov 2021).

Award

$120K/year for 2 years; requires at least 40% of the Scholar’s time (Note: Awards will be given to organizations, not to individuals.)

Guidance for the award: It is expected that the award will cover a percentage of the Scholar’s salary to garner 40% of his/her time. Additionally, funds can be used toward a portion of a research assistant/coordinator salary. If funds are used for indirect costs, the amount cannot exceed $10,000 or 10% of the recommended salary offset.

Mentoring

Scholar will be mentored by a Principal Investigator at an established clinical trial site, and will substantively participate in the PI’s ) active clinical trial (it is not expected that the scholar will have his/her own clinical trial). *Research projects must meet the NIH Clinical Trial Definition - A research study in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which may include placebo or other control) to evaluate the effects of those interventions on health-related biomedical or behavioral outcomes. *

Training

The goal of the BMSF DCTCDP is to develop a new generation of clinical trialists. The Community-Oriented Clinical Trialist (COCT) curriculum is designed to develop and train a new generation of first-rate clinical trialists with the additional knowledge, skills, and competencies to effectively engage with communities to foster active community participation in clinical research.

The COCT training will launch with a 5-day intensive educational workshop on clinical research methods. The BMS Foundation has partnered with the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) to develop and deliver this 5-day training, which will increase the reliability, reproducibility, and effectiveness of clinical trials by introducing physicians to the principals of good clinical trial design. Over the course of the 2-yr program, Scholars will participate in a fully elaborated COCT curriculum, which will build and expand upon concepts presented during the 5-day training workshop and will feature a comprehensive approach to presenting community outreach and engagement methods, skills and strategies.

Please click here for more information about the AACR Education Workshop.

Pipeline program

Scholar will serve as a mentor to an URM medical student during the 2nd program year. 250 URM medical students (50/year) will participate in a 6- to 8-week summer immersion program learning the basics of clinical trials and working in underserved community clinics and federally qualified health centers to provide outreach, education and engagement on clinical trials. The Pipeline program will launch in the summer of 2022. Applications will open in Oct/Nov 2021. 

Clinical research focus areas

Cancer (Hematology and Oncology), Cardiovascular Disease and Immunologic Disorders 

Site diversity

Scholars may be practicing at urban centers / known clinical trial sites, and rural and/or trial naïve sites.

Annual convening

An annual event will bring key stakeholder groups together to inspire, educate, amplify and celebrate. Scholars will present their investigator-initiated clinical trial protocols in their second program year.