Knight Scholars Program: A Tiered Three-Year Mentored Training Program for Urban and Rural High School High School Students Increases Interest and Self-Efficacy in Interprofessional Cancer Research

Cancer research training programs build our future biomedical workforce. Training is often centered for students residing close to research institutions, making access more challenging for rural students. A cancer research training program was developed for high school students residing in five geographical regions across Oregon. Training was tiered in duration and intensity across the three years, including a one-week Introduction program and subsequent 10-week summer research training programs (Immersion and Intensive). A total of 60 students participated in in-person and/or virtual training, with Immersion students receiving mentored shadowing experiences in clinical care, public health, and outreach in their home communities. Laboratory rotations at a research-intensive institution enabled students to sample research environments before selecting an area of interest for Intensive training the following summer. Aligning with Self-Determination Theory, the Knight Scholars Program aims to build competence, relatedness, and autonomy of its trainees in biomedical sciences. The program exposed students to a wide range of interprofessional careers and collaborative teams, enabling scholars to envision themselves in various paths. Results show strong gains in interest and research self-efficacy for both Introduction and Immersion scholars, with findings highlighting the importance of representation within mentoring and training efforts.