ARC UE5 at Vanderbilt University

Project Summary Building a diverse biomedical research workforce is integral to fostering scientific excellence, promoting research innovation, enhancing learning environments, reducing health disparities, meeting the needs of underserved populations, and garnering public trust in science. We propose a robust career development and mentoring program, V-ARC, to provide ARC Scholars with resources and support to successfully navigate their graduate and postdoctoral training and transition to their desired research careers, ensuring they are retained in the biomedical workforce. The V-ARC program will offer ARC Scholars stage-specific virtual professional development courses, high quality career mentoring and networking opportunities, cohort building with other ARC Scholars, and participation in in-person activities that expose them to additional skill building and a deeper understanding of the career paths they choose to pursue. In addition to enhancing the training experience of ARC-Scholars, we will take an active role in ensuring that the ARC Scholar’s research mentors are informed in principles of mentoring so they are well-prepared to support these diverse scientists. Research mentors will be offered annual mentorship skills development training, participate in a journal club focused on key literature on effective mentorship, and have opportunities to discuss ways to incorporate evidence-based strategies into their own mentoring practices. Similarly, career mentors will be offered additional support and resources to augment their mentorship skills through participation in annual mentor training and the journal club with research mentors as well as tapping into existing programming on mentoring best practices. We have carefully designed the program to leverage the expertise of the V-ARC Advisory Committee, career mentors, and the Scholar’s research mentors by including multiple touch points throughout the proposed activities. They will provide feedback on Scholar’s work outputs, serve as panelists, attend in-person events as invited guests, host Scholars at their workplaces, lead journal clubs and advise V-ARC leadership on programming. We believe strongly in the importance of fostering cultural awareness and promoting cultural responsiveness in mentorship and anticipate that access to training in these areas will benefit research and career mentors as well as their mentees for years to come. Furthermore, we are confident that participating Scholars will receive lasting benefits from the skills development and professional network they will build during their time in the V-ARC Program and that this experience will equip them with the resources necessary to make significant contributions to the biomedical research enterprise.