Developing a Pathway for Preparing Underrepresented Minority Students for a Career in Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences

ABSTRACT The Black or African American population continues to face barriers in workforce representation in the fields of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences despite multiple initiatives to enhance workforce diversity in biomedicine. Factors contributing to the workforce disparities among Black

professionals are complex and multifaceted: Black children face limited access to quality education and opportunities in the STEM fields at grassroot level, which become major barriers later on in life for those aspiring to pursue careers in Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences; socioeconomic

disparities among the Black population usually impact access to educational resources and pre-professional training needed to pursue research-related careers in these fields; and the low representation of Black professionals in Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences create lack of awareness among Black students about potential research-related career paths in these fields. Thus,

there is a critical need to increase Black representation in research careers by developing a training curriculum that provides research experiences and career mentorship. Our proposed Program – Black or African-American research training Pathway to Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences (BAA-POCS) – will address career disparities and pave the way for reductions in health

inequalities and improvements in healthcare outcomes. This collaborative program will engage two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in North Carolina – Bennett College and Saint Augustine’s University – with Duke University’s Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences (HNSCS) such that undergraduate students from these HBCUs will

undergo rigorous research training over a 15-month period under the mentorship of Duke faculty members. To achieve our objective, the following specific aims are proposed: [1] Conduct a rigorous clinical and research training curriculum for preparing undergraduate students for research careers in Otolaryngology and the Communication Sciences; [2] Provide professional development activities

to promote professional identity and preparation for graduate or medical school; and [3] Create support groups for students and program alums to engage one another regarding career decisions. The culmination of this BAA-POCS program will provide students from these HBCUs with a comprehensive research training and mentorship experience, which will generate enthusiasm and

self-efficacy, and increase the number of students interested in pursuing careers in Otolaryngology and/or the Communication Sciences.