Program Overview

Why foster diversity in the biomedical research workforce?

Diversity is important because:

  • It enhances the research agenda by bringing new knowledge and varied perspectives to research questions.
  • It reduces inequities in opportunities for research careers.
  • It potentially increases and enhances research into particular populations.
  • It helps ensure a supply of well-qualified bioscience, clinical, and translational investigators in the research pipeline.

While major academic medical centers, foundations, and federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), have provided considerable effort and dollars over the past several decades toward increasing the number of minority researchers in biomedical science, the number of underrepresented minority investigators has not reached the magnitude envisioned. The lack of diversity is especially severe with respect to blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians/Native Americans, and individuals with disabilities. For example, in 2003, only 7.3% of doctoral degrees in the biological sciences were awarded to underrepresented minorities (2.7% to blacks, 4.3% to Hispanics, and 0.3% to American Indians).

The CEED Program at the University of Pittsburgh is designed to help address the shortage of underrepresented minorities in health science research careers. Specifically, the program provides intensive early training that focuses on grant writing, preparation of publications, mentoring, and development of leadership and management skills. This training places promising future health care investigators in a competitive position to successfully compete for early career development awards, such as K08, K12, K23, K25, VA, and other types.

Why focus on career development awards?

A career development award is considered the gateway to a successful independent research career. It provides the protected time and the mentoring that are critical for fellows, postdoctoral trainees, and junior faculty to mature into independent researchers and to obtain their own research funding.

How does the CEED Program benefit trainees?

The CEED Program helps focus the trainees' attention on writing a successful career development application by offering supplemental career mentoring, by providing access to highly select coursework that builds a foundation for grant writing, and by creating a supportive and nurturing environment that includes individuals who have similar intentions and ambitions and mentors who are knowledgeable about the award process. After securing the 50% or more protected time needed from their departments, CEED trainees are expected to participate in all of the components of the 12 month training program. At the end of 12 months, each trainee is expected to have the knowledge and skills to submit an application for a career development award. Upon acceptance into the program, CEED trainees may be considered for an additional 25% of protected time provided by the CEED Program.