Rates of youth anxiety, depression, and self-harm have increased substantially in recent years. Expansion of clinical service capacity is constrained by workforce shortages and system fragmentation, and even substantial investment may not achieve the scale of growth required to address unmet need. Preventive strategies – such as strengthening social cohesion – are therefore essential to alleviate mounting pressures on the mental health system, yet their potential to compensate for these constraints remains unquantified.

This study employed a system dynamics model to explore the interplay between service capacity and social cohesion on youth mental health outcomes. The model was developed for a population catchment characterized by a mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities. Primary outcomes were prevalence of psychological distress and mental disorders, and incidence of mental health-related emergency department (ED) presentations among young people aged 15–24 years, projected over a 10-year time horizon. Two-way sensitivity analyses of services capacity and social cohesion were conducted.

Changes to specialized mental health services capacity growth had the greatest projected impact on youth mental health outcomes. Heatmaps revealed thresholds where improvements in social cohesion could offset negative impacts of constrained service capacity. For example, if services capacity growth was sustained at only 80% of baseline, improving social cohesion could still reduce years lived with symptomatic disorder by 6.3%. To achieve a similar scale of improvement without improvements in social cohesion, the current growth rate in services capacity would need to be more than double. Combining a doubling of service capacity growth with reversing the decline in social cohesion could reduce ED presentations by 25.6% and years with symptomatic mental disorder by 19.2%. A doubling of specialized, headspace, and GP services capacity growth could prevent 24,060 years lived with symptomatic mental disorder among youth aged 15–24.

This study provides a quantitative framework for understanding how social cohesion improvements can help mitigate workforce constraints in mental health systems, demonstrating the value of integrating service expansion with social cohesion enhancement strategies.

The roles and responsibilities of the public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) and response workforce have changed since the last iteration of competencies developed in 2010. This project aims to identify current competencies (i.e., knowledge, skills, and abilities) for the PHEP workforce, as well as all public health staff who may contribute to a response.

Five focus groups with members of the PHEP workforce across the US focused on their experiences with workforce needs in preparedness and response activities. Focus group transcripts were thematically analyzed using qualitative methods to identify key competencies needed in the workforce.

The focus groups revealed 7 domains: attitudes and motivations; collaboration; communications; data collection and analysis; preparedness and response; leadership and management; and public health foundations. Equity and social justice was identified as a cross-cutting theme across all domains.

Broad validation of competencies through ongoing engagement with the PHEP practice and academic communities is necessary. Competencies can be used to inform the design of PHEP educational programs and PHEP program development. Implementation of an up-to-date, validated competency model can help the workforce better prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies.

The purpose of this research was to understand perceptions and experiences of inclusion among underrepresented early-career biomedical researchers (postdoctoral fellows and early-career faculty) enrolled in the Building Up study. Because inclusion is vital to job satisfaction and engagement, our goal was to shed light on aspects of and barriers to inclusion within the academic workforce.

We used qualitative interviews to assess workplace experiences of 25 underrepresented postdoctoral fellows and early-career faculty including: their daily work experiences; sense of the workplace culture within the institutions; experiences with microaggressions, racism, and discrimination; and whether the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and practices at their institution enhanced their experiences. Using qualitative methods, we identified themes that highlighted high-level characteristics of inclusion.

Four distinct themes were identified: (1) participants appreciated the flexibility, versatility, and sense of fulfillment of their positions which enhanced feelings of inclusion; (2) greater psychological safety led to a greater sense of belonging to a research community; (3) participants had varied experiences of inclusion in the presence of microaggressions, racism, and discrimination; and (4) access to opportunities and resources increased feelings of value within the workplace.

Our findings provide new insight into how inclusion is experienced within the institution among underrepresented early-career biomedical researchers. This research points to specific approaches that could be used to enhance experiences of inclusion and to address barriers. More research is needed to understand how to accomplish a balance between the two, so that perceptions of inclusion outweigh negative experiences.

The translational science workforce requires preparation in both core skills for biomedical research and competencies for advancing progress along the translational pipeline. Delivering this content in a highly accessible manner will help expand and diversify the workforce.

The NCATS Education Branch offers online case study-based courses in translational science for a general scientific audience. The branch updated its course in preclinical translational science with additional content aligned with the NCATS Translational Science Principles, which characterize effective approaches to advance translation. The updated course was offered in 2021 and 2022. The branch also revised the course evaluation to capture knowledge change aligned with the NCATS Translational Science Principles.

Of 106 students, 88 completed baseline or endpoint surveys, with 48 completing both. Most found the online format (n = 48; 91%) and case study approach (n = 48; 91%) effective. There was a statistically significant increase in knowledge related to the Translational Science Principles (p < 0.001). Survey items with the highest endpoint scores reflected the principles on creativity and innovation, efficiency, cross-disciplinary team science, and boundary-crossing collaborations. Findings highlighted the effectiveness of pairing a case study with lectures that offer generalizable strategies aligned with the translational science principles. Students reported the course helped them learn about the trajectory of a drug discovery and development initiative, where their own work fit in, and scientific and operational approaches to apply in their own work.

This online case study-based course was effective in teaching generalizable principles for translational science to students with varied scientific backgrounds.

Only a third of people with dementia receive a diagnosis and post-diagnostic support. An eight session, manualised, modular post-diagnostic support system (New Interventions for Independence in Dementia Study (NIDUS) – family), delivered remotely by non-clinical facilitators is the first scalable intervention to improve personalised goal attainment for people with dementia. It could significantly improve care quality.

We aimed to explore system readiness for NIDUS–family, a scalable, personalised post-diagnostic support intervention.

We conducted semi-structured interviews with professionals from dementia care services; the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research guided interviews and their thematic analysis.

From 2022 to 2023, we interviewed a purposive sample of 21 professionals from seven English National Health Service, health and social care services. We identified three themes: (1) potential value of a personalised intervention – interviewees perceived the capacity for choice and supporting person-centred care as relative advantages over existing resources; (2) compatibility and deliverability with existing systems – the NIDUS–family intervention model was perceived as compatible with service goals and clients’ needs, but current service infrastructures, financing and commissioning briefs constraining resources to those at greatest need were seen as barriers to providing universal, post-diagnostic care; (3) fit with current workforce skills – the intervention model aligned well with staff development plans; delivery by non-clinically qualified staff was considered an advantage over current care options.

Translating evidence for scalable and effective post-diagnostic care into practice will support national policies to widen access to support and upskill support workers, but requires a greater focus on prevention in commissioning briefs and resource planning.

Clinical research coordinators (CRCs) play a key role in supporting the translational research enterprise, with responsibilities encompassing tasks related to the design, implementation, and evaluation of clinical research trials. While the literature explores CRC competencies, job satisfaction, and retention, little attention has been given to the role of the PI working with Human Resources (HR) in the CRC hiring and onboarding processes. We investigated the priorities, decision-making processes, and satisfaction levels of principal investigators (PIs) and hiring managers in CRC hiring.

An online survey consisting of open-ended and fixed-choice questions to gather information on desired CRC qualifications and competencies, factors influencing hiring decisions, and overall satisfaction with selected candidates was administered. The survey utilized a Task/Competency Checklist developed from job descriptions and the literature. Respondents were asked to rank the importance of factors such as CRC skill set, years of experience, educational background, and budget constraints.

Results indicated that the skill set of the applicant was the most frequently cited factor influencing the hiring decision, followed by years of experience. Education and budget constraints were of lesser importance. Most respondents reported a satisfaction rating of 50% or greater with their new hires, although some participants expressed challenges related to institutional training requirements, the performance of entry-level CRCs, and the qualifications of experienced candidates.

The hiring cycle involves HR-PI collaboration for a clear job description, effective onboarding processes, and accessible professional development opportunities to enhance PI and employee satisfaction and CRC retention.

Selection into core psychiatry training in the UK uses a computer-delivered Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA; a situational judgement and clinical problem-solving test) and, previously, a face-to-face Selection Centre. The Selection Centre assessments were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to evaluate the validity of this selection process using data on 3510 psychiatry applicants. We modelled the ability of the selection scores to predict subsequent performance in the Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies (CASC). Sensitivity to demographic characteristics was also estimated.

All selection assessment scores demonstrated positive, statistically significant, independent relationships with CASC performance and were sensitive to demographic factors.

All selection components showed independent predictive validity. Re-instituting the Selection Centre assessments could be considered, although the costs, potential advantages and disadvantages should be weighed carefully.

To identify the predicting factors that contribute to preparedness for public health emergencies among community pharmacists in India.

Multistage cluster sampling was done. The geographic breakdown was done based on villages and areas and used as clusters. A simple random method was done in the first stage to select the villages as clusters. From each selected village, a simple random method was done in the second stage to select the areas. From each selected area, all the community pharmacies were selected. The survey questionnaire had 3 sections with 43 items: (A) demographic information, (B) preparedness, (C) response toward infectious diseases. The participants chose “Yes/No”, in sections B and C. A score of 1 was given for “Yes”, and a score of zero was given for “No”.

Multiple correlation analyses were conducted between participants’ preparedness and response (PR) scores and independent variables. The independent variables such as “More than one Pharmacist working in a pharmacy”, “Pharmacists who are trained more than once on disaster management”, and encountered more than 1 patient with the infectious disease were positively and significantly correlated with the dependent variable (PR scores).

Community pharmacists were aware of the issues they may face in their community concerning public health emergencies. They believed that the medications available in their pharmacy are sufficient to face any emergency. They could identify the clinical manifestations of public health emergency conditions and provide counselling to the customers toward them. Community pharmacists who were trained more than once in disaster management were the strongest predicting factor.