Research Mentor Information
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Primary Research Mentor Name: Tyra Dark
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns: {Empty}
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific?: Dr
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): tyra.dark@med.fsu.edu
Position Title: Faculty
FSU College (if applicable): Medicine
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation: Behavioral Sciences of Social Medicine
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Additional Research Mentor(s)
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Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above): {Empty}
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns: {Empty}
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?: {Empty}
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): {Empty}
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable): {Empty}
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns: {Empty}
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?: {Empty}
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Overall Project Details
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Title of the Project: Comorbid mental health and cardiovascular conditions community study
Project Keywords: community cardiovascular mental health
Are you currently looking for research assistants?: No
Number of Research Assistants Needed : 2
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s):
Open to all majors

Project Location:: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?: {Empty}
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s):: In-person
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work?: 10
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work?: Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Overall Research Project Description:
Both Cardiovascular conditions and mood disorders—particularly anxiety disorders—are highly prevalent, confer a high burden of disease and complicate management of each other when they co-occur, leading to greater disability and healthcare utilization and costs. Such multi-comorbidity becomes even more challenging when it intersects with racial inequities due to social determinants of health. Individuals demonstrating such triple complexity (medical comorbidities, mental health/behavioral complexities, and social complexities) are those most likely to experience adverse outcomes. Effective interventions will need to address the intersection of all three domains of complexity. 
This study will employ both a focus group design and a survey design.  Outcomes will include an overall assessment of the prevalence of specific self reported medical conditions—Cardiovascular and mental health—among the local community study population.  Additionally, focus groups will provide insight on perceived barriers to successful management of health conditions.

Research Tasks:
Literature review, data collection, data entry

Skills that research assistant(s) may need::
Required: Detail oriented, enjoys working with team, interest in community health and working with community members

Mentoring Philosophy:
During initial meetings with mentees, I tell them a bit about myself and my philosophy regarding how I approach scientific questions.  I share my own experiences and why I chose the field of epidemiology to conduct population research.  The reason for this is that I want the potential mentee to determine if I am someone that they would be comfortable working with---this is the most important factor.  If the mentee wants to continue the conversation and learn more, I will then ask them "what is that thing that really piques your interest?  When you read/hear about it, you have so many questions."  I then attempt to provide research related activities that will nurture those interests and will lead to the development of project ideas. This provides the mentee with an immediate sense of a certain level of ownership of the project idea and a significant stake in the success of the project.  Hopefully, this process will inspire a career in research under the mentee's terms.

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UROP Program Elements
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Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication: Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation: Yes
Materials Grant: Yes
UROP Poster Presentation: Yes

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Year: 2023
update url: https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=4CxYMVldaTvaD2yaQe5VhL3rAewz7luhTzXyv5mhL9o