University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

Career Development and Mentee Training

The purpose of the training component is to train and mentor the next generation of investigators of color and other researchers working with the targeted populations who are dedicated to alcohol interventions research.  The training program will be coordinated by Dr. McCabe and will also work with the mentor, Dr. Miller. There are a total of four aims for the training component. First aim is to prepare at least nine faculty of color to become independent investigators conducting research on health disparities and alcohol, including (a) a common core knowledge base regarding alcohol research; (b) background and experience in the design and analysis of alcohol intervention research; (c) training and mentoring in the writing of NIH grant applications; (d) yoking with an experience alcohol investigator to gain practical experience in conducting intervention research; and (e) substantial and thoughtful interaction with community representatives and traditionalists to promote understanding of how interventions can both arise from and be adapted to underrepresented populations. To accomplish this aim, several specific components form the core CADET activities:

• Weekly alcohol research seminar with the mentor, Dr. Miller. These weekly 2-hour meetings will include: (a) a weekly journal club in where participants present a recently published study relevant to substance use, disorders, prevention and treatment among underrepresented populations; (b) topical presentations by Dr. Miller and other faculty; (c) 4-month seminar in grant-writing and publication; and (d) ongoing discussion of participants’ research projects and plans, from initial motivation through conceptualization, design, and analytic plan, proposal, IRB review, implementation, trouble-shooting analysis, oral presentations of findings and publication.
• Faculty presentations on alcohol core knowledge and research that will be integrated into the weekly meetings with the mentor.
• Yoking with an internal collaborator so investigators will develop mutually beneficial ongoing relationships for research collaboration and publication.
• All SARG investigators will complete a full semester graduate seminar in Research Ethics that will be offered through the Department of Psychology.
• In collaboration with UNM CASAA, SARG will sponsor a monthly colloquium series that will be open to the public. Recent research findings by senior scientists will be presented.
• Each investigator will join the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) and attend the annual RSA scientific conference.
• Alcohol/drug abuse studies will be provided to those CADETS who are interested in furthering their clinical training.  This provides the opportunity for the SARG investigators to participate as faculty, based on their particular expertise.

The second aim of the training component is to prepare SARG staff and investigators to build a core research infrastructure that will support health disparities research in the alcohol field, in preparation for larger scale intervention studies, including the following areas: (a) outcome assessment data collection and follow-up tracking, (b) data entry and management, (c) grants management, (d) participant screening, recruitment, and consenting; and (e) analysis of intervention datasets. Third aim is to provide health practitioner-scientists with opportunities to increase their interest, expertise, and involvement in alcohol research. The fourth aim is to attract interest and prepare pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees to conduct health disparities research in the alcohol field.