Research Education About Cancer and Health (REACH) Core

The Partnership Research Education About Cancer and Health (REACH) Core will deliver research education activities in cancer and health provision inconsistencies and prepare future scientists to contribute to the biomedical research workforce. In the past, the REACH Core has demonstrated exceptional success in training undergraduate and graduate students using a multipronged approach that now includes undergraduate (Cancer Research Internship for NMSU Undergraduates; CRI-U) and graduate (Cancer Research Internship for NMSU Graduates; CRI-G) research internships, public health challenges course(s) (University of Washington, School of Public Health), and the Community Health Field Experience, and specialty workshops focusing on research techniques. The Partnership will continue to implement integrated biomedical research education programs with an emphasis on cancer and/or health research, across a spectrum of academic levels to prepare the scientific workforce contributing to biomedical and population health research. The Partnership will continue to use long-term tracking tools to offer sustained support to participants and evaluate impact and effectiveness of activities. In response to past program evaluation and recommendations from the Internal Advisory Committee and external Program Steering Committee, a portfolio of activities is proposed that prioritize the current needs to promote and heighten cancer research education that is focused on undergraduate and graduate students at both institutions. In sum, the REACH Core will implement education programs across academic levels and disciplines; provide support for trainees’ goal attainment that identifies individual-specific needs and interests, opportunities as well as potential barriers to career advancement; design experiences for trainees that create a sense of community and belonging both within the Partnership and more broadly in the larger scientific community, and; conduct assessments of research education activities’ effectiveness, including long-term tracking, to identify opportunities for innovation and needs for improvement while meeting the needs of participants. These activities will contribute to the Partnership’s Aims of enhancing the biomedical workforce, creating a more positive research environment and enhancing cancer health knowledge.