Clinical Research Scholars Training (CREST) Program

Project Abstract
The Downstate Clinical Research Scholars Training Program (CREST) will provide a structured program that
prepares nurses and physicians to conduct rigorous research that addresses health disparities and advances
health equity. The COVID-19 pandemic coupled with acts of social injustice all converge to reinforce that
racism is a fundamental driver of racial and ethnic health disparities and requires an urgent response from the
scientific community. Recent NIH funding initiatives have also called for research that examines the impact of
structural racism and discrimination on health disparities. These events provide the rationale for developing
CREST as a health-equity focused research training program. CREST builds upon an established health equity
infrastructure at SUNY Downstate and long-standing community partnerships. Eligible trainees are nurses with
advanced doctoral degrees, post-residents/clinical fellows, and junior faculty from backgrounds that are
underrepresented in biomedical research. CREST will consist of a 2-year didactic curriculum and mentored
research experience component and a 1-year pilot projects component. The curriculum is an established
Master of Public Health in our School of Public Health. It will be delivered via innovative hybrid and hyflex
(evening, synchronous online, asynchronous online, and in-person) modalities. This program has an over 95%
on-time completion rate. Trainees will participate in grant writing workshops as they prepare to submit
applications for the pilot project component. Unique aspects of CREST include an interprofessional learning
environment, formal didactic sessions on applying antiracism, structural competency, and trauma-informed
frameworks in designing research, and opportunities to engage community partners and representatives from
the New York City Department of Health. CREST will be led by an MPI team who have collaborated on NIH
funded training programs and who are dedicated to building a diverse research workforce. This team will
collaboratively implement the following aims 1) provide an equity-focused didactic research curriculum and a
mentored clinical research experience; 2) implement a pilot studies program that serves as a catalyst for
generating preliminary data that can be used in preparation for future career development (K) or research
project (R) grants; 3) establish a CREST-Mentorship Network comprised of local and national mentors who
have a track record of supporting academic, professional, and personal growth and who will foster trainee
capacity for independent research. CREST will yield a critical-mass of clinician scientists who can successfully
compete for funding, conduct disparities research, and advance equity research.

Grant Number: 5R25MD017950-04
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Carla Boutin-Foster