Increasing Minority Physician and APRN Clinician-scientist Research Training To Equalize Addiction Medicine (IMPACT TEAM)

The Increasing Minority Physician and APRN Clinician-Scientist Research Training To Equalize Addiction Medicine (IMPACT TEAM) is a five-year initiative at Michigan State University designed to expand the pipeline of clinician-scientists prepared to address substance use disorder (SUD) and addiction medicine, particularly among populations historically underrepresented in health professions. Funded by a $1.3 million National Institutes of Health grant, the program is led by researchers from MSU’s College of Human Medicine and College of Nursing. IMPACT TEAM responds to rising SUD-related harms across Michigan—highlighted by a reported more than 19 percent increase in annual opioid-related deaths from 2019 to 2022—and aims to build a diverse, equity-focused workforce capable of both clinical care and rigorous research in addiction medicine.

The program pursues three integrated objectives. First, it will recruit trainees from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds, using multiple strategies and existing MSU initiatives to identify and engage promising physicians and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Second, IMPACT TEAM will refine and deliver an interprofessional, evidence-based curriculum that addresses addiction science and reduces stigma, preparing trainees early in their careers with foundational knowledge and competencies in SUD treatment and research. Third, the initiative will select a subset of trainees to participate in interprofessional research collaborations designed to launch research careers. Trainees’ experiences are intended to include mentored research projects and opportunities for academic dissemination through presentations and publications at local, state, and regional venues.

To achieve these aims, the team will leverage existing university resources and established collaborations to assemble a mentor network of accomplished NIH-funded investigators from diverse backgrounds. This mentor group will guide students through pre-professional research experiences that explore the science of addiction, translational inquiry, and community-engaged approaches to SUD. Mentored projects will emphasize practical outcomes—training students in research design, implementation, and communication while fostering skills needed to pursue future independent funding and leadership roles in addiction medicine.

Beyond workforce training, IMPACT TEAM emphasizes equity, inclusion, and outreach. By intentionally recruiting trainees who reflect the communities MSU serves and by incorporating stigma-reduction into its curriculum, the program seeks to produce clinician-scientists who are culturally responsive and prepared to serve underserved areas of Michigan. The initiative’s interprofessional model—bringing together physician and APRN trainees—supports collaborative care approaches and strengthens the collective capacity to address the state’s addiction crisis.

IMPACT TEAM positions MSU to contribute to regional and national efforts to reduce SUD-related morbidity and mortality by fostering a new generation of diverse clinician-scientists equipped with the clinical, research, and dissemination skills necessary to advance addiction medicine. Through targeted recruitment, mentored research training, and an evidence-based, stigma-reducing curriculum, the program intends to increase the number and preparedness of mental health- and SUD-trained providers in underrepresented communities across Michigan.