OVERVIEW: An important goal of the SC CTSI is to develop pipelines for clinical research professionals with deep roots in our local communities. Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School provides a unique opportunity to attract high school students into biomedical research. Bravo is a public high school focused on pre-health education and located adjacent to USC's Health Sciences campus. Bravo’s student population is representative of the local neighborhood and graduates routinely attend top-tier universities. The SC CTSI will leverage a twenty-year collaboration in STEM education between USC and Bravo to introduce students to clinical and translational research.
GOALS: To attract future leaders in health and medicine to careers in clinical and translational research.
CURRENT STATUS: We developed a structure for a live program of internships in which Bravo students will participate on clinical and translational research teams for two hours per week for a semester, or for up to 20 hours per week on a mentored project. Other components include workshops on clinical trial fundamentals, and career fair presentations by SC CTSI faculty and staff. We will be launching a hybrid program comprised of live and virtual opportunities set to begin in fall 2021.