Presented By: Mariana De Lorenzo, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Co-Authors: Humberto Baquerizo, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Steven Munoz, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Pranela Rameshwar, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Lauren Sherman, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Purpose 
Lack of representation of racial and ethnic minorities in the healthcare workforce, in particular clinician scientists, remains a challenge. The goal was to reduce this gap through early mentorship, combined with organized workshops and networking. We also applied self-assessments to assess the role of mentorship in fostering diversity, improved educational experiences and research efforts, and interaction with clinician-scientists. These topics will benefit imposter syndrome that can impede career aspirations. Participants have a space to learn from each other, reflect, and discuss the academic medicine environment and future goals with diverse clinician scientists and academic leadership from across the health care workforce. 

Methods 
Three cohorts of trainees from the Multidisciplinary Summer Research Education Program for Health Professional Trainees-NIH (R25) at Rutgers University. Trainees were from Rutgers medical, dental and the school of health professions. The 52 questions evaluated various domains: psych-emotional support, communication, professional development, role modeling, prior research experience, and mentorship before and after program participation using a Likert Scale.

Results 
The surveys indicated a positive impact of mentorship: students firmly understood the clinician-scientist role and valued mentorship. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction and felt motivated by their mentors. The curriculum's formal and informal activities enhanced their sense of belonging within the scientific community, further mitigating a pre-participation sense of imposter syndrome. 

Conclusion 
The findings highlight the value of mentorship in enhancing diversity, fostering career aspirations, and addressing the needs of academically diverse students. This study underscores the need for mentorship in medical education to develop a more inclusive healthcare workforce of clinician-scientists, which will benefit both students and patients. Simultaneously, this study will have an impact on closing the gap in teaching a more culturally competent workforce across the healthcare enterprise.