Michigan Program For Reproductive and Obstetric-Gynecologic Research, Education, and Scientific Success (M-PROGRESS): WRHR Scholars Program

Critical unmet gaps in women’s healthcare demand a new generation of obstetrician-gynecologist investigators equipped with skills to generate transformative scientific innovation, demonstrate courageous leadership, and successfully mitigate health inequities. The overarching goal of our proposed WRHR training program is to recruit a cohort of academically promising obstetrician-gynecologists, challenge them to study the most pressing problems in the field, and provide them with the methodologic, team science, and leadership skills to conduct novel research with real-world impact. This proposal, “Michigan Program for Reproductive and Obstetric-Gynecologic Research, Education, and Scientific Success (M-PROGRESS): WRHR Scholars Program” will integrate all aspects of women's health research—"from cells to communities”—to allow us to answer fundamental knowledge gaps in multidisciplinary ways. M-PROGRESS will offer precision scientific training, multidisciplinary mentorship teams, and intentional leadership training to prepare scholars for scientific excellence and real-world impact across the scientific spectrum from discovery to implementation. The M-PROGRESS program will support up to two physician investigator scholars for 2-5 years each. Scholars will benefit from multidisciplinary mentorship teams, including scientific mentor(s), a near-peer mentor, a lived experience mentor, and a mentor from our M-PROGRESS Scientific Executive Committee. M-PROGRESS scholars will 1) complete training activities designed to advance 10 required competencies for obstetrician-gynecologist investigators, 2) execute an Individualized Development Plan, and 3) generate a Scientific Portfolio—with a goal of stepwise progression from mentored research to scientific independence. We have purposely integrated leadership training into M-PROGRESS, recognizing that scientific impact addressing the most pressing challenges in women’s health requires intentional development of leadership skills. We have a strong focus on improving health outcomes through our mentors’ expertise, training components, required Scientific Portfolio practica, and inclusion of people with lived experience on mentorship teams. MPROGRESS will be overseen by the Scientific Executive Committee, with input from an Advisory Committee, whose members bring deep experience, proven track records of successful development of obstetrician-gynecologist investigators, and extensive departmental support to the program. The University of Michigan is uniquely positioned to offer a WRHR program that includes discovery, translational, clinical, and implementation research. Our Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is a national center of research excellence with a mature portfolio of studies on topics across women’s lifecourse. Our expected outcome is a WRHR program that equips scholars to secure external research support and attain long-term success as innovative scientists, thought leaders, and change agents who drive transformational advancements in women’s health and lives.