Exploration of Health Disparities in the areas of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, HIV/AIDS, Gastroenterology, Cardiology, and Nephrology in the African American Community The National Medical Association Internal Medicine Scientific Section would like to submit an application for consideration of R13 NIH Conference Support funding application for our upcoming 2015 Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly. We would like to include a comprehensive proposal that will focus on endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism, HIV/AIDS, gastroenterology, cardiology, and nephrology subspecialty topics-all topics of importance in minority populations. Our Convention will be held August 1 - 5, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. The proposed title of the session is Exploration of Health Disparities in the areas of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, HIV/AIDS, Gastroenterology, Cardiology, and Nephrology in the African American Community. This program will consist of a special three and a half hour scientific session, panel discussion, and oral abstract and poster presentation session, dedicated especially to early career investigators (those funded by our R13 or not) that will explore current issues that have high program relevance to NIDDK and NIMHD areas of scientific interest. We will address current topics in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, HIV/AIDS, Gastroenterology, Cardiology, and Nephrology that impact the African American community and other minority populations such as diabetes, hepatitis C, and kidney disease. We will also invite the early career investigators who are awarded travel support from our grant to attend our planned Internal Medicine Scientific sessions throughout the duration of the full spectrum of the NMA Annual Convention. The conference will assemble populations of investigators that benefit from cross-talk but do not typically interact as we will have specialist presenting key information as well as other specialists and generalists within the fields of internal medicine and family medicine attending our sessions. NIH funds will meet a critical need not adequately met by other sources. This conference will provide an excellent training environment for early career investigators and trainees as many seasoned investigators participate in our planning committee and will serve as invited speakers. Our conference program will be sure to include women and members from under-represented in research such as African American researchers. Finally, we will include early career investigators/trainees in our meeting to engage in networking and learn about the development of research tools. The funded early career investigators will be invited to actively participate in researching and writin needs assessment and gap analysis data for the purposes of developing strong continuing medical education curricula and programs. NMA Internal Medicine Section senior faculty will be available to serve as mentors for this activity. There are four objectives to this conference session: 1) Provide a forum for cross-disciplinary exchange of ideas to further explore issues of health disparities in the areas of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism, HIV/AIDS, gastroenterology, cardiology, and nephrology. 2) Foster opportunities for early stage minority faculty and trainee investigators to network and further learn about current research in the internal medicine areas of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism, HIV/AIDS, gastroenterology, cardiology, and nephrology. 3) Promote opportunities for early stage faculty and trainee investigators to present research findings and interact with more senior investigators working in the internal medicine areas of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism, HIV/AIDS, gastroenterology, cardiology, and nephrology. 4) Provide a mentoring platform for early career minority investigators to play a sustained role in contributing to futur scientific conventions.
There is a need to educate physicians and young investigators about the current trends in the areas of internal medicine that impact minority populations as minorities often suffer disproportionate prevalence and incidence rates and negative outcomes. There is also a need to educate practicing physicians in the area of current subspecialty topics that are important to diverse populations of whom they serve. Significant disparities exist in the areas of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism, HIV/AIDS, gastroenterology, cardiology, and nephrology.
