The purpose of this project is to implement a Minority International Research Training Program at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, FL. Nursing faculty will partner with foreign nursing faculty at the University of Tampere, Finland; University """"""""La Sapienza"""""""" Rome, Italy; and the Private University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany, to provide minority undergraduate and graduate nursing students with international research training focused on clinical research about disparities care of chronic illness patients and their families (National Goals I, II, Healthy People 2010). Students will become part of a faculty research team, choose a topic of interest within the area of health disparity in chronic illness care, and continue their study in a European country with an international mentor. Students will take additional research courses focused on research conduct, culture and health, skill development, attitudes, team roles, and the rationale underlying the research. They will also learn about the other country, its culture, and health needs of ill patients and families. They will be mentored in research throughout their current educational program, once they are selected. They will participate actively in the research team and contribute to dissemination of the collaborative research through publications and presentations toward promotion of a research career. Over the four years of the grant, we plan to recruit and mentor 19 undergraduate students and six graduate students. A variety of methods will help achieve these goals: the individual mentoring relationship and conduct of research both internationally and at FIU, a research activity group, course assignments, dissemination projects and project evaluation. Ultimately, improved care of chronically ill patients and their families in populations of health disparities can result from intensive research exposure from mentor faculty, skilled with promoting excellence in students of culture. This project will prepare our FIU minority students in research, where 80% of the undergraduate and 61% of the nursing students are of ethnic diversity and live in Florida where health disparities are significant. ? ?
