Applications Open in January for Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program
Applications will open in January 2021 for the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program (BMSF DCTCDP). This program will extend the reach of clinical trials into underserved patient populations in urban and rural U.S. communities. This program will train and develop 250 new clinical investigators who are racially and ethnically diverse or who have a demonstrated commitment to increasing diversity in clinical trials, and it will expose 250 promising, underrepresented minority medical students across the country to clinical research career pathways. Additionally, the BMSF DCTCDP will assist program investigators in building capacity and standing up new clinical trials sites in communities with diverse and heavily burdened patient populations.
The goal of the BMSF DCTCDP is to increase diversity of patients enrolled in clinical trials, and ultimately enhance the development of therapeutics for all populations. The program will collaborate with communities to facilitate an approach to clinical and translational research that is community-informed, designed and conducted. It will provide the sponsorship, support and tools that emerging investigators need to conduct clinical trials that will yield the development of new treatments that are effective in all populations.
The BMSF DCTCDP is a two-year program designed to support the career development of early-mid career underrepresented minority (URM) physicians (MD, MD/PhD, DO, DO/PhD) or physicians who have a demonstrated commitment to increasing diversity in clinical research to become independent clinical trial investigators who are committed to advancing health equity through their research and mentoring.
Key Program Elements:
| Commitment | • Train and develop 250 racially and ethnically diverse new investigators (~50/year)
• Provide immersive community-based experiences in clinical trial research to 250 underrepresented minority medical students |
| Award | $120K/year for 2 years; require at least 40% of awardees’ time |
| Mentoring | Awardees will be mentored by a Principal Investigator at an established clinical trial site |
| Training | Training in investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored clinical trials |
| Pipeline program | Awardee will serve as a mentor to an URM medical student during the 2nd program year. 250 URM medical students (50/year) will participate in a 6-8-week summer immersion program learning the basics of clinical trials and working in underserved community clinics and federally qualified health centers to provide outreach, education and engagement on clinical trials |
| Research focus areas | Initial focus on Cancer (Hematology and Oncology), CVD and Immunologic Disorders |
| Site diversity | Urban centers / known clinical trial sites, and rural and/or trial naïve sites |
| Infrastructure fund | Program graduates will have access to funds to build capacity and stand up clinical trial sites in communities with diverse and heavily burdened patient populations |
| Annual convening | An annual event will bring key stakeholder groups together to inspire, educate, amplify and celebrate. Scholars will present their investigator-initiated clinical trial protocols in their second program year. |
Candidate Eligibility Criteria:
| Definition | |
| Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups | Eligible candidates will reflect the NIH definition of underrepresented populations in the US Biomedical, Clinical, Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Enterprise:
• African Americans or Blacks • Hispanics or Latinos • American Indians or Alaska Natives • Native Hawaiians • Other Pacific Islanders OR have a demonstrated commitment to increasing diversity in clinical research. |
| Professional degree | Eligible candidates will hold the degree of MD, MD/PhD, DO or DO/PhD |
| Early-mid career physician | NIH definition of Early-Stage Investigator: A new investigator who has completed his or her terminal research degree or medical residency—whichever date is later—within the past 10 years and has not yet competed successfully for a substantial, competing NIH research grant. |
| Therapeutic area focus | Eligible candidates will have an interest in clinical research in the areas of cancer (hematology and oncology), cardiovascular disease and immunologic disorders |
Targeted Key Dates
| Application Opens: | January 2021 |
| Application Closes: | July 1, 2021 |
| Selection Process: | July 15-Sept 1, 2021 |
| Selection Announcement: | Sept 1, 2021 |
| First Cohort Begins: | Sept 15, 2021 |
Note: dates subject to change