Helping Everyone Achieve a LifeTime of Health ‐ Future Addiction Scientist Training Program Outcomes

Objective: Addiction to alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs (ATOD) remains a leading cause of cancer and a contributor to diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, disproportionately affecting marginalized and minoritized groups. Social and structural inequities increase these risks. A diverse scientific workforce is necessary to mitigate ATOD-related health disparities; yet, underrepresentation persists in ATOD research. Helping Everyone Achieve a LifeTime of Health ‐ Future Addiction Scientist Training (HEALTH???FAST) is a NIDA funded research education program to reduce ATOD-related disparities by training future scholars in addiction science and health equity. Methods: From 2021‐2023, eight Doctoral Scholars, two Postdoctoral Fellows, and six Early-Stage Investigators were trained in the HEALTH-FAST Program. Results: Participants showed gains in research knowledge, research self-efficacy, and research preparation. As of April 2025, scholars produced 160 peer-reviewed publications and 41 grants. Conclusions: HEALTH-FAST can serve as a model research education program to train historically excluded scholars and diversify the ATOD health equity research workforce to address health disparities.