iHEAL : Improving HEalth Across the Lifespan

We propose the inaugural University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing (SON) T32 training program, Improving HEalth Across the Lifespan (iHEAL), which will be one of the few Deep South nurse scientist training programs addressing comprehensive healthy living from a life-course lens. Aligned with the NINR Strategic Plan, we will prepare a nurse scientist workforce of pre- and postdoctoral trainees who can address a wide variety of health challenges through lenses of health disparities, social determinants of health, population and community health, prevention and health promotion, and systems and models of care. In collaboration with a transdisciplinary cadre of faculty mentors (including, Core, Content, and Mentors-in- Training) and through guidance from our esteemed Internal and External Advisory Boards, we will accomplish the following specific aims: 1) RECRUIT well-qualified pre- and postdoctoral trainees, who aspire to become independent researchers to address the complex healthcare challenges in the Deep South and improve outcomes across the lifespan; 2) TRAIN pre- and postdoctoral trainees by providing 1) mentoring, 2) experiential learning opportunities, and 3) required coursework that fosters knowledge acquisition regarding transdisciplinary health research, research ethics, professional development, and leadership skills; 3) LEVERAGE UAB’s rich training environment to provide pre- and postdoctoral trainees with training and collaboration opportunities across UAB (including the Comprehensive Healthy Living Research Center, Social Determinants of Health [SDoH] Institutional Core, and other relevant Centers); 4) EVALUATE and ENHANCE how effectively our training program is meeting our T32 trainees’ needs and expanding the next generation of future nurse scientists. Our training program has three components: expert mentoring, experiential learning, and required coursework. Trainees will receive individualized support from a mentorship team drawn from 39 Core, 7 Content, and 5 Mentors-in-Training, selected for their prior successful mentoring experience and strong research track records. Experiential learning activities will center primarily on mentored research and Health Engagement Research Observerships (HERO). Trainees will also write a grant proposal, design and conduct their own research study, and disseminate their work via peer-reviewed publications and presentations at scientific conferences. Five required courses cover transdisciplinary comprehensive healthy living research, research ethics, grant writing, and one elective topic. The iHEAL T32 training program will equip trainees with skills that can be applied across the region and the nation wherever populations are exposed to the challenges of rural location, poverty, or other sources of disadvantage that threaten the opportunities for healthy living across the lifespan.