Physician Researcher Initiative (PRI)

The vision of the SNMA states that the organization is dedicated to increasing the number of minority faculty at US medical institutions; however, our current method of attempting to address this deficit is not a program of action but of passivity. We rely on the fact that inherently some SNMA members will become medical school faculty by their own design and since they are SNMA members we claim them as our contribution. The aim is to actively tackle this issue through the development of infrastructure and opportunities that encourage the entrance of SNMA members into Physician Researcher pathways.

In order to encourage entrance into academic medicine, the Physician-Researcher Initiative was established. Since its start in 2007, the PRI seeks to educate the SNMA membership about careers in academic medicine and to establish a network of mentors in addition to mentoring opportunities that will initiate and enhance students' research experiences. To help achieve this, an educational track is offered each year during AMEC.

There are three areas of focus:

• Expand a list of research opportunities;
• Establish a mentoring program for students interested in academic medicine; and,
• Educate the membership regarding academic medicine via articles in the Journal of the SNMA (JSNMA) as well as seminars at the Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC)