Over the past 5 years, The Ohio State University College of Nursing T32 has provided pre-doctoral research training on health development for 10 trainees. We have demonstrated an ability to link trainees with research intensive mentors and as the only T32 funded by NINR with a focus solely on health development during childhood, we have been able to emphasize the unique determinants of health that are initiated early in life. In this revised competing renewal application, we will continue to provide training in the science of health development with an expansion to include training across the life span consistent with our conceptual model and the strengths of our faculty. Through a combination of didactic coursework, directed research residencies, mentorship, skill-building workshops, research seminars, and independent research projects, fellows will develop competencies to conduct state-of-the-art research in the science of health development. Senior research mentors will guide trainees in their studies and will work closely with trainees to study how health determinants intersect to influence health development, and to use this knowledge to examine ways to optimize wellness outcomes. Training faculty are from the nursing, sociology, and medicine. Faculty have active research programs related to health determinants, mechanistic processes, and/or health outcomes.
The specific aims of this training program are to: recruit and retain diverse and qualified trainees pre- and post- doctoral trainees to conduct rigorous research in the science of health development; prepare trainees to develop and implement ethical health research in the science of health development; provide scientific grounding and research experiences with highly qualified faculty and using extensively available resources to prepare trainees for research careers; and increase the number and strengthen the scientific foundation of early career nurse scientists. We propose eight pre-doctoral trainees, four post-baccalaureate trainees and four post-master?s trainees with three and two years of support, respectively). We propose four post-doctoral trainees, each with two years of support. Achievement of specific aims will occur through coursework, participation in ongoing faculty research, conduct of research by the trainee, participation in research seminars and national conferences, grantsmanship training, publication and presentation support, and research dissemination experiences with faculty. This training program builds on research strengths of the faculty at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Nursing (CON) in health development during pregnancy, childhood, and across the life span, health determinants and their effect on health and wellness. Research will particularly focus on health development during sensitive and critical periods, mechanisms by which health determinants influence health and wellness, and interventions aimed at improving health and wellness.
