On the nih.gov website:

​"The Women of Color (WOC) Committee of the NIH Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers recognizes that women of color may face unique challenges to entering and advancing in biomedical careers...The WoCRn was created to provide women of color and supporters of their advancement in the biomedical sciences information about the NIH grants process, advice on career development, and a venue or forum for networking and sharing information."

The February 2016 issue of ASBMB TODAY, the member magazine of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is devoted to issues concerning diversity and inclusion. The magazine contains an editorial and message from the ASBMB president. In addition, Hannah Valentine, MD, the chief officer for scientific workforce diversity at the National Institutes of Health, is interviewed. The magazine highlights viewpoints from many contributors emphasizing the need of societies and institutions to improve their efforts to increase diversity in the sciences.

From NIH Common Fund website:
"As one component of a broad, trans-NIH strategy to address the need to promote diversity in the biomedical research workforce, the Common Fund has established the “Enhancing the Diversity of the NIH-Funded Workforce” program. This program is a national collaborative through which the Diversity Program Consortium, in partnership with the NIH, will develop, implement, and evaluate innovative approaches to research training and mentoring, with the goal of engaging individuals from diverse backgrounds and helping them prepare for and succeed in biomedical research careers. It provides the opportunity for transformation of the biomedical research workforce through institution-wide and eventually nationwide implementation of successful training and mentoring strategies. The long-term goal is to enhance the NIH mission through a more diverse and robust workforce, attracting talented individuals from all population sectors."

Program Initiatives:

• Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD)
• National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN)
• Coordination and Evaluation Center (CEC)

You do the research. NIH will repay your student loans. That is the idea behind the National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs).

NIH wants to encourage outstanding health professionals to pursue careers in biomedical, behavioral, social, and clinical research. If you commit at least two years to conducting qualified research funded by a domestic nonprofit organization or U.S. federal, state, or local government entity, NIH may repay up to $35,000 of your qualified student loan debt per year, including most undergraduate, graduate, and medical school loans. Loan repayment benefits are in addition to the institutional salary you receive for your research.

If you are or will be conducting qualified research funded by a domestic nonprofit institution outside NIH, you may be eligible for one of the five extramural LRPs:

• Clinical Research
• Pediatric Research
• Health Disparities Research
• Contraception and Infertility Research
• Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

You may submit only one LRP application to NIH in any fiscal year, even though your research may be appropriate for more than one of the programs.

A recent article in the New York Times highlights the dearth of Hispanics in veterinary medicine. In the state of Texas, for example, there were 84 Hispanic veterinarians in 2010 (less than 2 percent of the state’s 5,728 veterinarians, according to the 2014 book Changing Texas by Steve H. Murdock). Since the population in Texas is 38 percent Hispanic, 2,154 Hispanic veterinarians would have been needed to reflect the population of the state. Other medical professions are also underrepresented but to a lesser degree.

The purpose of the Clinician Scientist Mentoring Award to Promote Workforce Diversity is to provide support to mid-career health-professional doctorates or equivalent (See Section III) for protected time to devote effort to basic, epidemiological or outcomes research and to act as research mentors to early-stage investigators from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral research. Candidates for this award should have independent, peer-reviewed, research support at the time of award and possess a demonstrated record of mentoring  individuals from underrepresented backgrounds.  The candidate's research should demonstrate a sustained level of research productivity in the research areas supported by the NIDDK.  The long-term objective of this funding opportunity is to provide mentors with protected time to enhance mentoring opportunities for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, thereby  ensuring the availibility of a pool of scientists from diverse backgrounds  to facilitate research within the mission areas of the NIDDK.

The NIH has funds available for administrative supplements to support diversity and re-entry into the research workforce. Supplements are available for program directors or principal investigators holding specific types of NIH research grants to improve the diversity of the research workforce by supporting and recruiting students, post doctorates, and eligible investigators from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related research. 

September 5 - 8, 2014
Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle Downtown
Vancouver, British Columbia

The Association of American Medical Colleges popular Minority Faculty Career Development Seminar is designed for junior faculty (senior clinical and research fellows, instructors, and assistant professors) and post docs (MD, D/PhDs and PhDs) who aspire to leadership positions in academic medicine.

This 3-day seminar provides participants with real-world guidance and tools for pursuing career advancement in academic medicine, developing key professional competencies, building skills in grant writing and communications, and expanding their network of colleagues and role models. Bringing together junior faculty from both the United States and Canada, this year's seminar will be a multicultural experience that facilitates information sharing and networking.

The NIH Women of Color Network is an online community that is addressing the challenges faced by all women and minorities entering and advancing in scientific careers. The network is open to everyone who values diversity in the scientific workplace. Its website (http://www.wocrn.nih.gov/) includes links to forums, blogs, resources, and upcoming events. WOCRN is a free and open to the community, but requires a login account. All members can connect or communicate through the site. Advertisers are not permitted to register.