The second decade of life, adolescence, sets a trajectory likely to determine long-term health outcomes. Yet, the health needs of youth remain largely unmet. The purpose of the Adolescent Health Protection Research Training Program is to prepare scientists with the capacity to conduct public health research that advances evidence-based programs, practices, and policies for addressing health disparities and improving the health of all adolescents. Our training priority on vulnerable youth responds to pressing national needs reflected in Healthy People 2010: to eliminate health disparities among underserved segments of the population. The three collaborating Schools within the University of Minnesota's Academic Health Center- Nursing, Medicine, and Public Health - have, for a quarter-century, conducted interdisciplinary leadership training programs as well as population-focused, community-partnered research focused on adolescent health. Adolescent health excellence within the collaborating Schools is reflected in the leadership of our faculty and our graduates in adolescent health research and their contributions to improving public health programs, practices, and policies. Our research focus on racially and economically diverse populations attracts comparable diversity among trainees. During the three-year award period, pre- and post-doctoral trainees in nursing (4 pre-, 2 post-), medicine (5 post-), and public health nutrition (4 pre-, 2 post-) will develop research and translational skills through a common public health-oriented core curriculum grounded in an ecological model that focuses on prevention and health promotion through population-focused interventions with youth. Common core curricular requirements as well as faculty mentorship for advanced research training draw upon resources across the collaborating Schools. Our instructional approach in adolescent health protection research corresponds to the Institute of Medicine's call for trans-disciplinary public health training for scholars in schools of medicine, nursing and other health professional schools.
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