PRESENTERS…PRESENTERS…

University of Nebraska Medical CenterUniversity of Nebraska Medical Center

University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond

University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia

Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth University

Eastern Virginia Medical SchoolEastern Virginia Medical School

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

About The AllianceAbout The Alliance4 Pillars

• The establishment of a series of systematic strategies targeted toward the early cultivation of students as they pursue professional careers in the health, basic sciences and other disciplines.

• The installation of administrative and programmatic mechanisms purposed to stimulate the sharing of intellectual talent and technical expertise among and between the faculty of the member institutions.

• The identification and implementation of collaborative strategies for securing research funds thus leading to creative approaches to the reduction of barriers which perpetuate disparities in access to health care and resulting health outcomes.

• The identification and implementation of collaborative strategies for securing funding (infrastructure, training, program development, etc.) which will further enhance the educational environment of the partner institutions.

Statement of Affiliation• Whereas, the nation continues to experience increasing diversity but also profound

disparities in access to quality health care and ultimately health outcomes largely based on racial/ethnic status, economic and social circumstances, and the lack of racial diversity within the health care policy, administration, and practitioner communities and;

• Whereas, Historically Black Colleges and Universities provide a nurturing educational environment of excellence for African-Americans and other under represented minority students in the face of steadily shrinking infrastructure, technical, and professional resources and;

• Whereas, health science education centers offer a complex array of world-class professional and technical resources while seeking to diversify their student bodies and faculty as a means of enriching their campus environments, their neighboring communities, and ultimately to address the pervasive issues which contribute to disparities in health care throughout the nation;

• Whereas, academic health science centers are resources for education, and research for their states and nation. As such will collaborate on innovative educational and research programs to address the needs of their respective states;

• Whereas, academic health science centers such as the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Virginia Commonwealth University are respected as leaders in identifying and responding to emerging national healthcare issues (bioterrorism, health disparities, HIV/AIDs, etc.) and are committed to establishing collaborations with each other and with the HBCU to address these national concerns;

• Be it therefore resolved that: the Charter Members of the Virginia-Nebraska Alliance shall establish a representative Steering Committee for the exploration, design, and implementation of academic initiatives which will reflect the needs and resources of each individual Charter Member as that member seeks to preserve and expand its unique historical mission. A key element of the Alliance will be the establishment of collaborative activities with the goal of raising the necessary funds in support of these academic initiatives.

Student ProgramsDetails

National Institues of Health (NIH) Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health Related Research

Researcher and student complete supplement application for NIH Award. Award allows student to join basic science research team for 12 weeks for 2 summers, attend research seminars, enrichment programs, and present research at national meeting.

Minority Health Education Research Office Summer Research Opportunities

Opportunity to join a research team and work in basic science research laboratory full-time for one summer. Opportunities to attend research seminars, enrichment program, and present research poster at end of summer.

Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research

National Science Foundation funded opportunity to work on a research team in basic science research laboratory full-time for one summer. Opportunities to attend research seminars, enrichment program, meet students from other campuses for enrichment activities, and present research poster at end of summer and at annual meeting.

Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)

Intensive academic science review, opportunities to interact with current graduate students, weekly clinical learning opportunities.

Summer Research - VCU, UNMC, UVA, EVMS

Full-time summer research experience, enrichment seminars, and poster presentation at end of summer.

Summer MCAT Program A summer experience at the University of Richmond that includes professional guidance for the MCATs and other health professional prerequisites.

Bon-Secours Nursing Program  

Richmond Ambulance Authority Fellowships

A semester long fellowship to research health care policy issues that impact on the provision of services, and the design of an integrated delivery model that would direct those accessing the Emergency Medical Services System.

Summer Research Experience (High School)

Students would participate in an innovative program that introduces them to the health sciences, through an early educational initiative that fosters academic achievement, career development and enrichment experiences in the health sciences.  Students would participate in a researched based curriculum that conforms to the standards of learning and incorporates the core academic subjects of science, math and reading.  Students would have an opportunity to see first hand the relationship between academic preparation and skills needed to be successful in the health care arena.  Alliance medical and research professionals would provide hands on activities that stimulate and encourage student learning.

Student

Faculty ProgramsDetails

Faculty Exchange Program

The Faculty Exchange Program would provide opportunities for Alliance faculty members to visit between and among campuses in order to conduct seminars, workshops, and other scholarly presentations. These presentations will be intended to spawn opportunities for collaborative teaching and research, either through the above Faculty Fellowships, or through other relationships that develop through the exchanges. A typical presentation would involve members of a research team each giving a series of presentations that together describe a program of research that is of mutual interest to the AMC and to the HBCU.

Faculty Development Fellowship

The Faculty Development Fellowships provide prolonged face-to-face mentoring opportunities between seasoned (Academic Medical Centers (AMC) researchers and junior HBCU faculty who are seeking careers as an independent researchers in the health sciences. The Faculty Development Fellowship Program would begin with an 8-10 week summer experience for the junior faculty investigator as a collaborator in the laboratory or clinical research program of a seasoned (usually NIH-funded) investigator. The summer experience would provide the opportunity for the junior faculty member to begin and/or refine his/her research focus. Junior investigators will be paired with senior investigators according to the match of mutual interests and lines of investigation. During the summer, the junior faculty member and senior faculty member would team up to write a minority supplement to the senior faculty member’s award. This supplement would be used to buy-down the faculty member's teaching load at the HBCU, so that they could work on research with the parent grant rather than teach at the HBCU. These minority supplements are quick turnaround, and are administratively buy not competitively reviewed. Administrative review can produce funding within 3 months of submission. The NIH award would in turn allow the junior faculty member to continue the line of investigation begun during the summer. The goal is for the funded research to lead to an R-01 in the name of the HBCU and with the minority investigator as Principal Investigator. Naturally, one would expect such R-01s to still involve the parent lab or research program at the AMC in some way. The ultimate goal also is for the junior investigator to evolve into a senior investigator with his/her own independent line of research and trainees at the HBCU.

Faculty

2008 Programs

and Participants

University of Richmond (MCAT Program)

Virginia UnionClinton Davis

Hampton UniversityKeshia Avant

Danielle Williams Blair Thomas

Virginia Commonwealth UniversityQuinney Harris

Marianna Sukholutsky Elizabeth Proffitt

Kristina Kim Trisha Pascall-Lopez University of Virginia

Brian Freeman Norfolk State University

Nanna Frimpong Whitney Osborne

Virginia State UniversityKhristian Harris Trenee Harris

University of Virginia

Hampton UniversityKeshia Avant

Kelly Ferguson Jamie Hardy

Norfolk State UniversitySaskia Patterson

Richmond Ambulance Authority

Virginia Union UniversityIngrid Gyening Kweku Biney

Ruth Gbesorgbor Tiara Harrison

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Union UniversityJocelyn Wondong

Norfolk State UniversityDouglas Miller

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Virginia Union UniversityAya A. E. Ashaal

Virginia State UniversityRaheed Sanders

Irene Amoah University of VirginiaAnita Afriyie Kisiedu Hampton University

Gerald Porter Byron Spells

Jacqueline Watson

Virginia-Nebraska H.S. Program

University of VirginiaSamuel Best

Virginia-Nebraska Alliance

Hampton UniversityKourtni Barrett

Eastern Virginia Medical School

Hampton UniversityAshley Garvin Jessica Rivers Crystal Conner

Alisha Stephens Andria Tatem

Norfolk State UniversityJosiah Wrensford

Ariel James Doreen Jackson Rachael Anzia Anika Rollins

University of VirginiaEricka Chambliss

*HS UR UVA VUU SP VSU NSU HU JSR VCU BS

1 0 0 7 0 4 9 15 0 50

Student Program Participation - 2008

U of R (MCAT)

14

EVMS 12

VCU 2

UVA 4

RAA 4

UNMC 7

VT 0

HS 1

VANE 1

TOTAL 45

Alliance Student Participants

  2008

HU 15

J. Sargeant Reynolds 0

NSU 9

SP 0

VSU 4

VUU 8

VCU 5

UVA 0

UNMC 0

U of R 0

HS 1

TOTALS 44

VIRGINIA-NEBRASKA ALLIANCESTUDENT SURVEY

Prepared by

Kourtni BarrettFellow

Hampton University

And

Ilana Mittman

Health Policy Institute at

The Joint Center for Political & Economical Studiesin conjunction with

The Virginia Nebraska Alliance

Item N %

Graduated from College 28 71.8%

Still in college 11 28.2%

Duration in program 4 wks – 2 years

In graduate school/planning to grad school 39 100%

Average GPA 3.418 (2.3- 3.9)

Majors

Biology 20 51.3%

Chemistry 9 23.1%

Clinical Laboratory Science 2 5.1%

Forensic Sciences 1 2.6%

Sociology 1 2.6%

African Studies 1 2.6%

Biochemistry 2 5.1%

Biomedical Engineering 2 5.1%

Mathematics 1 2.6%

Career Plans

Medicine 28 71.8%

MD/PhD 1 2.6%

MD/MPH 1 2.6%

Pharmacy 3 7.7%

Business 2 5.1%

Podiatry 1 2.6%

Public Health 2 5.1%

Community Counseling 1 2.6%

Currently in medical school 5 12.8%

Keeping in touch with program 33 84.6%

Have jobs 9 23.1%

Total Students Surveyed = 39

General comments:

All participants stated that they benefited from the program. Benefits include:•MCAT preparation and the experience to receive a structured environment where the MCAT was the main focus. Teachers were also great.•Gained ability to network. (2)•Gained verbal techniques.•The vision or inspiration to start one’s own program similar to that of the VA-NE Alliance programs.•Help in looking at medical schools.•Memory was refreshed for MCAT.•Learned about the research process as a whole.•Learned to adjust to a new environment and gained a knack for research.•Gained good test-taking strategies. (3)•MCAT preparation. (5)

General Comments (continued):

•Gained the book knowledge for one’s weakest area which is now helping the student with current courses.•Opened more doors for occupational realms. Also had a great mentor and became more meticulous with procedures receiving a head start amongst her peers.•Meeting new people/made new friendships.•More exposure to labs.•Learned new things from working in a foreign environment.•Gained study skills. (2)•Gained better understanding of research and what being a graduate student actually entails. Also gained clarification for what she wanted to do in life, opposed to what she did not want to do (2).•Learned to apply information learned in college to new situations. •Learned data analysis and compiling.•Learned about the healthcare system in Virginia.

General Comments (continued):

•Gained knowledge they use in Medical school.•Expanded the research experience as a whole.•Met trustworthy mentors.•Gained higher self-motivation skills.•Helped students apply information learned to science.•Expanded critical thinking.•Learned time management skills for standardized exams.•Developed greater respect for health professionals.•Learned how to concentrate on more than one thing at a time.•Learned to decipher test questions.

General Comments (continued):

•Helped to build resume.•Benefited from knowledgeable teachers in small classes.•Learned how to interact with people from different social and cultural backgrounds.•Experienced medicine first hand.•Enjoyed interacting with the alliance and considering taking a part in it.•Felt it was helpful to have peers that they could share aspirations, experiences and fears with.•Received research experience.•Met a “lot of influential” people.•Program allowed for a good assessment of academic standing and means to improve.