Faculty Collaboration Database

Student-centered Pipeline to Advance Research in Cancer Careers (SPARCC): Diversifying the Clinical Cancer Research Workforce. J Cancer Educ 2023 Feb;38(1):370-377

Date

01/28/2022

Pubmed ID

35083731

Pubmed Central ID

PMC9314452

DOI

10.1007/s13187-021-02127-7

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85123622154 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   3 Citations

Abstract

A lack of diversity in the clinical cancer workforce causes undue burden limiting research and patient care advancements. Recruitment and retention of individuals underrepresented in medicine/research can enhance patient-provider concordance. The Student-centered Pipeline to Advance Research in Cancer Careers (SPARCC) uniquely prepares underrepresented minority students to quickly transition into the clinical research workforce and seek advanced graduate degrees. Experiential learning theory and culturally responsive pedagogy ground SPARCC's rigorous competency-based curriculum incorporating cancer care, clinical trial development, social supports, and mentored research experiences. Concurrent mixed-methods analysis includes evaluations of workshops, clinical-practicums, and pre-, post-, and 6-month-post-knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Analysis of data included stepwise multivariate regression analysis, Spearman's rho correlations, and assessments of inter-item reliability via Cronbach's alpha (IBM® SPSS® 24.0). Inductive content analysis coded phrases and analytic patterns were distilled enhancing descriptions of experiences. From January 2019 to March 2019, 62% of applications came from underrepresented minorities. Ten students were accepted, 90% identified as underrepresented minority. All ten students completed the pre-, post-, and 6-month-post-evaluations. Overall scores increased significantly from pre-evaluation to 6-month-post-evaluation. Evaluation data came from 431 responses of 60 workshops, with a mean score of 9.1 (10-point scale). Students completed three clinical practicums, which received an overall mean score of 8.2 (10-point scale). A robust curriculum, structured recruitment, diverse faculty, and comprehensive evaluations made SPARCC a compelling strategy for supporting underrepresented minority students to seek immediate employment as clinical research professionals or application to advanced graduate degree programs.

Author List

Kaljo K, Ngui EM, Treat R, Rader JS

Authors

Janet Sue Rader MD Chair, Professor in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Robert W. Treat PhD Associate Professor in the Academic Affairs department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Biomedical Research
Humans
Minority Groups
Neoplasms
Reproducibility of Results
Students