Project Grant R13AT012585

COMPLEMENTARY INTEGRATIVE REHABILITATION MEDICINE: CULTIVATING DIVERSITY IN RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE - ABSTRACT THIS NIH NCCIH R13 CONFERENCE GRANT, "DIVERSITY MENTORING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE REHABILITATION MEDICINE WORKSHOP (DMCD CIRM)," AIMS TO CONDUCT A PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP AT THE 2024 AMERICAN CONGRESS OF REHABILITATION MEDICINE (ACRM) ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING IN DALLAS, TEXAS. ITS PRIMARY GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE PRESENCE OF UNDERREPRESENTED SCIENTISTS IN THE COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE REHABILITATION MEDICINE (CIRM) WORKFORCE AND TO PROVIDE SELECTED UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY (URM) DMCD CIRM FELLOWS WITH MENTORING, NETWORKING, AND SPECIALIZED RESEARCH SKILLS FOR SUCCESS IN CIRM. TARGETING EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONALS, THE WORKSHOP INCLUDES 3.5 DAYS OF INNOVATIVE CIRM RESEARCH TRAINING AT THE ACRM CONFERENCE. RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY'S ESSENTIAL ROLE IN ADVANCING CLINICAL PRACTICE AND RESEARCH OUTCOMES, THE DMCD CIRM WORKSHOP ADDRESSES THE PERSISTENT UNDERREPRESENTATION IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES DESPITE EXISTING DIVERSITY INITIATIVES. IT FOCUSES ON MENTORING, NETWORKING, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AND SPONSORSHIP TO ENHANCE MINORITY SCIENTISTS' REPRESENTATION AND ENABLE THEIR INDEPENDENT RESEARCH CAREERS. THE ACRM, A LEADING MULTIDISCIPLINARY ORGANIZATION, AND ITS COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE REHABILITATION MEDICINE NETWORKING GROUP (CIRM NG) PLAY CRITICAL ROLES IN SUPPORTING A DIVERSE CIRM RESEARCH AGENDA AND PROMOTING INTERPROFESSIONAL NETWORKING. THIS UNDERSCORES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF INTERPROFESSIONAL NETWORKING IN THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF CIRM PROFESSIONALS AND REFLECTS ACRM'S COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A CULTURE OF DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL HEALTH JUSTICE. THROUGHOUT THE R13 GRANT'S ONE-YEAR DURATION, FELLOWS WILL PROVIDE FEEDBACK AT THREE INTERVALS, CONTRIBUTING TO A CONTINUOUS DIALOGUE AND IMPROVEMENT PROCESS. THIS FEEDBACK, SYNTHESIZED INTO MANUSCRIPTS, WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE 2025 ACRM ANNUAL MEETING TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORKSHOP'S IMPACT ON FOSTERING DIVERSITY AND INNOVATION IN CIRM.