TRAC fosters acquisition of lasting child health-related research skills with an emphasis on independence and critical thinking. TRAC supports novel, horizontal near-peer-to-peer coach-mentorship through an immersive eight-week pediatric-specific skills course over the summer combined with the development and implementation of collaborative research projects with guidance from faculty coach-mentors that will continue throughout the following academic year so participants can see their project to completion. Participation will culminate in abstract submissions to the Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting the following spring and submission of a first-authored manuscript.
TRAC is supported by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and receives funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health, (Award Number R25HD111367; MPI: Gwathmey and South). Please note that the TRAC program cannot provide housing accommodations for the summer.
Program Objectives
- Provide key pediatric research skills in the preclinical, translational, clinical, epidemiological, statistical, and biomedical informatics sciences as applied to reproductive, developmental, clinical, behavioral, and social processes that impact the health and well-being of children, especially the social determinants of health.
- Provide opportunities for engagement in child health-related research through an independent mentored research project designed and led by participants that incorporates a unique model of near-peer mentorship in addition to faculty mentorship.
- Reinforce participants’ pursuit of a career in child health research through participation in activities that increase empowerment and independence as a researcher.
- Recruit a diverse array of participants across the educational spectrum, with particular emphasis on individuals who are underrepresented in the biomedical sciences and especially those that are related to child health.
- Increase exposure of program participants to existing health disparities and inequities through each domain of child health research.
Program Eligibility
- Student learners in good academic standing; professional learners (post-doctorate/residency/fellowship) with an interest in child health and developmentU.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.
- Must have completed at least two semesters of college
- Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.
- Individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical sciences (e.g., Black / African American, Alaskan Native, Native American, Asian-Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Latino/a/x), individuals with disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds (urban/rural areas, first-generation college students, low socioeconomic status, etc.) are encouraged to apply.
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