This is a proposal for a Short-Term Training Grant in Women's Health-Related Research, using the T35 mechanism, with special emphasis on older women. The goal of this program is to create a 3-month introductory research experience for pre-doctoral (i.e., medical students, doctoral nursing students, graduate students, dental students) trainees in areas of expertise related to women's health. The mentors chosen for this program include a group of talented, experienced faculty with research interests spanning clinical, basic, and behavioral areas of major importance to aging women, such as diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, and pharmacokinetics. The Indiana University School of Medicine is home to one of the 19 National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health, funded and designated by the Office on Women's Health, Department of Health and Human Services, which will serve as the home base for this program. The project will target trainees at the various IU health schools, as well as those from other schools with Centers of Excellence in Women's Health, from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and from other academic and community health centers.
We aim to develop a cadre of diverse trainees, comprising all races and both genders, who will receive excellent short-term training, as well as mentoring from a dedicated Mentoring Panel convened for this program, that will provide them with a strong foundation on which to base their academic careers.