RiNGH (Research in Nursing & Global Health) Training Program

Global health is a multi-disciplinary field that aims to improve health equity for individuals, families and populations worldwide. Nurse scientists are uniquely positioned to develop research to understand public health problems, inform health interventions, optimize health systems, and promote health within communities and across populations. Importantly, global health is concerned with problems that transcend national borders, both abroad in other countries and domestically in the United States. This global to local approach prioritizes international cooperation and collaboration from multiple disciplines to achieve health equity through evidence- based prevention and clinical care for those disproportionately burdened with illness and most in need of health services. The National Institute of Nursing Research supports global health research to achieve its mission of advancing nursing science to improve the health and well-being of all the world’s citizens. Accordingly, there is a need to train a cadre of nurse scientists who pursue scholarly careers to lead and contribute to research on global health issues. The Research in Nursing and Global Health (RiNGH) training program, coordinated by the University of Washington Center for Global Health Nursing and the University of Washington School of Nursing’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will prepare pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees with the knowledge and skills to advance global health equity through team-based, interdisciplinary research. Trainees will benefit from a variety of learning experiences spanning coursework, research seminars, research residencies, independent research projects, professional development and career building workshops, and participation in scientific meetings and conferences. Trainees will have access to a group of established, committed investigators in Nursing and other health sciences disciplines with sustained programs of research related to global health and health equity to serve as mentors and guide their overall training. The specific aims of the RiNGH training program are to: (1) recruit and retain a diverse group of qualified, promising pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees to conduct research aiming to improve population health and healthcare globally and locally, using a health equity lens; (2) provide interdisciplinary, didactic research training in current and emerging theories, methodologies, and skills essential for conducting global health and health equity research; including the appraisal, design, and implementation of research approaches; (3) mentor trainees in principles and values of respectful community engagement and ethical conduct of research, especially in contexts involving marginalized, underserved populations abroad and domestically; (4) prepare future scholars for competitive research careers in academia, research centers, healthcare systems, government agencies, non-government organizations, foundations, or industry, through learning experiences and professional development as well as exposure to active research projects with foci in global health and health equity; and, (5) evaluate pre-doctoral and post-doctoral training program structures, processes, and outcomes on an ongoing and annual basis.