The National Alliance of Research Associates Programs

Description

The National Alliance of Research Associates Programs (NARAP) tackles critical health system needs in a unique way utilizing untapped resources.

Two key endeavors, clinical research and facilitation of primary health care, markedly improve health care in the Unites States.

Think of these three big numbers: 1/2, 4, and 500,000

1. More than half the U.S. population visits an emergency department as a patient or visitor each year.
2. The average emergency department visit is 4 hours.
3. By conservative estimate, each year more than 500,000 college students and post-baccalaureat students are "pre-med," not counting those headed to dentistry, physicians assistant, physical and occupational therapy, optometry, podiatry and other health professions.

If there were similar requirements for clinical experience for application to medical school as there are for most other health professional schools, on average 500 hours, this would result in 60,000,000 hours per year volunteered each year in activities like the RA programs. Even at minimum wage, this translates to a potential $435 million value in work by motivated, college- educated students

The National Alliance of Research Associates Programs, Inc. a 501(c)(3) designated non-profit organization, was created to bring pre-health professional students into the emergency department to serve as participant identifiers, data collectors and assistants for clinical research, particularly on studies concerning the emergency department, as a site to facilitate primary health care screening.

Our Vision is to have all emergency departments near colleges serve as a link in a national network for clinical research, a vehicle for primary health care screening and prevention, and a locus to foster the development of future health professionals. NARAP looks to change how we facilitate primary health for large segments of the U.S. population, how we conduct clinical research efficiently, rapidly and at low cost, and how we develop and select future doctors and health professionals.