Developing careers in cardiovascular disease epidemiology and prevention: The Jackson Heart Study

Introduction:  The Jackson Heart Study (JHS) is committed to providing opportunities for expanding the understanding of the extent, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The JHS Graduate Training and Education Center (GTEC) has initiated the Daniel Hale Williams Scholar program where students are afforded the opportunity to interact with observational epidemiologists and other biomedical scientists to learn how to further define the role of risk factors in predicting, preventing, and treating cardiovascular disease using the Jackson Heart Study data. This study describes the structured programs developed by the JHS that provides additional avenues for us to alleviate the shortage of trained professionals in cardiovascular epidemiology where students can earn graduate certificates while they complete their academic degrees. Methods:  The DHWS program provides: (1) an enrichment curriculum, (2) a learning community, (3) quarterly seminars for students, and (4) a Summer Institute where graduate scholars enrolled in the program are exposed to cardiovascular epidemiology training. Results:  Students attend enrichment activities comprising: (1) Applied Biostatistics, (2) Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology, (3) Social Epidemiology, (4) Emerging Topics, and (5) Research Writing.  Training focuses on developing proficiency in cardiovascular health knowledge. Conclusions:  The need to expand formal training in cardiovascular epidemiology is increasingly apparent with the continued rise in health disparities and the spirally rise in obesity and CVD in Mississippi.The DHW scholar program is a unique strategy for incorporating rigorous academic and career-focused training to graduate students enabling the acquisition of competencies needed to impact cardiovascular disease management programs.