US Ten Day Seminar on the Epidemiology and Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke

ABSTRACT This proposal requests sponsorship for the 49th U.S. Ten-Day Seminar. Given the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and stroke, it is highly appropriate to conduct professional training on epidemiology and prevention. The goals of this proposal align with the NHLBI’s Strategic Goals to “enable and develop a diverse biomedical workforce equipped with the essential research resources to pursue emerging opportunities in science.” Training of such a workforce is a key element of the country’s readiness to address the health challenges posed by CVD and the readiness to advance multi-component strategies that promote cardiovascular health (CVH). A prepared workforce will need research competencies in CVD epidemiology, biostatistics, prevention, behavioral and social sciences, policy, public health practice. This Seminar can uniquely contribute to training scientists who can integrate evidence across these fields and translate research findings into effective and impactful policy and practice. We seek primary sponsorship from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and if we receive a meritorious score we will request co-funding from NIDDK, NINDS, the NIH Office of Disease Prevention, and the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research. Other funders/partners for the Seminar are the American Heart Association via two council budgets (Epidemiology and Prevention & Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health). To assure the successful conduct of the Seminar, we will continue to: 1. Attract a faculty with both the knowledge of relevant content and the personal teaching skills required for the effective conduct of this program, with a continuing emphasis on the recruitment of faculty from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups (currently 38% of the faculty) and female faculty members (currently 54% of the faculty); 2. Adapt program content to maintain its relevance to the training needs of the nation for health professionals with appropriate career interests, while maintaining a consistent central focus on the foundational methods in cardiovascular disease epidemiology; 3. Disseminate information about this program to appropriate groups, using the most effective current strategies for reaching underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, female candidates and historically marginalized groups; and 4. Recruit participants from populations that have been historically marginalized by connecting with diverse professional societies and organizations, and sustained relationships with seminar alumni.