NRSA for Primary Medical Care - Overview: A persistent shortage of well-trained primary care researchers hinders the advancement of Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) priorities, including chronic disease prevention, behavioral health integration, preventive care, and access to primary care in safety-net settings. While most patient care occurs in primary care clinics, the majority of research takes place in academic medical centers. Primary care clinics provide an ideal laboratory to study the issues patients face, such as chronic disease management, behavioral health issues, and coordination of care, yet the capacity for research career development and training for primary care is lacking. To respond to the increasingly complex needs of patients, primary care researchers will need to pursue innovative and broad research agendas aligned with national priorities of MAHA. We propose the Primary Care Research Training Program (PCRTP) to build a new pipeline of interprofessional primary care investigators, building on nearly two decades of HRSA-funded training, equipped to advance each of these priorities. The primary goal of our program is to increase the number of highly qualified individuals capable of conducting rigorous primary care research. Approach: We propose a two-year postdoctoral fellowship training 2 fellows per year (8 total over five years) in rigorous primary care research methods, led by a Project Director and an Executive Committee with expertise in research training, mentorship, primary care, and population health. The program has two aims: (1) to develop rigorous training in primary care population health content and research methods with strong mentor and community linkages; and (2) Increase the number of interprofessional primary care researchers focused on MAHA priority areas who are equipped to transform health care delivery through rigorous, community-engaged primary care research and disseminate their research findings through peer-reviewed publications, national presentations, and community partnerships to advance the science and practice of primary care. Fellows complete the CWRU Certificate in Clinical Research and receive training in quality improvement, research ethics, implementation science, health informatics, leadership, and grant writing. Each fellow conducts at least one independent primary care research project and one community-based quality improvement project. Each fellow will be assigned a mentor team including a Research Mentor, a Career Mentor, and a Community Research Mentor, supported by written Individualized Development Plans. If a mentor falls below program standards, the program initiates a Quality Improvement Process designed to support mentor success: the mentor receives targeted professional development resources, evidence-based mentorship training, structured peer coaching from senior faculty, and regular check-ins with the Program Director to identify barriers and co-develop solutions. Evaluation: A comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation will assess inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. Fellows will be evaluated using validated instruments, with post-graduation tracking of research productivity and career outcomes for a minimum of one year following program completion. Mentor and partner effectiveness will be assessed using validated instruments. Impact and Sustainability: Over five years, the PCRTP will enroll and graduate at least 8 fellows and produce independent investigators whose work advances the MAHA priority areas. Program findings will be disseminated at national meetings and in peer-reviewed journals. PCRTP graduates will conduct MAHA-aligned primary care research. Sustainability is ensured through MHS's institutional commitment to providing up to 20% protected research time for PCRTP graduates, PHRI pilot grant infrastructure, and a competing continuation application to HRSA at the conclusion of the five years of performance.
