** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** DESPITE NUTRITION-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASES AND CONDITIONS INCREASING, SUCH AS OBESITY AND DIABETES, MOST MEDICAL AND DENTAL PROFESSION TRAINING IS LAGGING. THE PROPOSED PROJECT, HOUSTON-AREA OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT TRAINING IN OBESITY & NUTRITION (HOUSTON) ACADEMY 2.0, WILL PROVIDE 12-MONTHS OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TRAINING TO UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN A HEALTH CARE PROFESSION. THE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE NUTRITION EDUCATION, APPLIED RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES LED BY MEDICAL/DENTAL/NURSING AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND SCIENTISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER-HOUSTON (UTHEALTH), IN ADDITION TO PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. A TOTAL OF 40 UNDERGRADUATES, PRIMARILY FROM MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS AND UNIVERSITIES NOT DESIGNATED AS TOP RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES, WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, AND BE PROVIDED A SCHOLARSHIP. THE TRAINEES WILL ENGAGE IN A 10-WEEK MULTIFACETED SUMMER NUTRITION PROGRAM WHERE THE LEARNING WILL OCCUR IN THE GARDEN, KITCHEN, AND SIMULATION LAB. THE TRAINEES WILL ALSO ENGAGE IN STATE-OF-THE-ART RESEARCH FOCUSED ON NUTRITION-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASES AND CONDITIONS OCCURRING IN THE SCHOOLS OF NURSING, DENTISTRY, PUBLIC HEALTH, OR MEDICINE. LAST, TRAINEES WILL EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT NUTRITION AND BE EXPOSED TO CAREERS RELATED TO FOOD THROUGH ENGAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. MEASURABLE OUTCOMES INCLUDE COMPLETING A TOTAL OF 440 INTERNSHIP HOURS, COMPLETING AN ORAL PRESENTATION, AND CONTRIBUTING TO A POSTER/MANUSCRIPT FOR PUBLICATION. STUDENTS' PERCEPTION OF VALUE OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING WILL ALSO BE MEASURED. GRADUATION AND MATRICULATION TO GRADUATE SCHOOL/JOB PLACEMENT ARE LONG-TERM MEASURABLE OUTCOMES. OVERALL, HOUSTON ACADEMY 2.0 UNDERGRADUATE TRAINEES WILL HAVE EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS NEEDED TO ADDRESS NUTRITION-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASES AND CONDITIONS.

University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston

Investigators