Project IMPACT 2.0 & Cobb Institute Researcher Survey & Subscriber List

Our mission at Project IMPACT 2.0 and The Cobb Institute is clear: Remove barriers to clinical trial participation. Empower clinician-scientists to reach their full potential. Increase patient participation in research that shapes care and outcomes. If you are a researcher engaging with underserved communities — or plan to become a researcher in the future — Project IMPACT wants to know who you are and how we can support you. Together, we can build strength through community and connect training to real opportunities, particularly among historically underrepresented populations.

Quick sign-up: Join the Project IMPACT subscriber LIST: Lead. Inspire. Share. Transform.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE ONLY

If you have a few additional minutes to share your researcher profile and preferences, please complete the 10-minute needs assessment survey below. Your input will shape our research participation strategies — guiding the resources, funding, and collaborations that will have the greatest impact, and connecting you with research opportunities. 

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE FULL SURVEY 

About the Project IMPACT 2.0 Minority Research Initiative

Project IMPACT 2.0 is Closing the Research Representation Gap

Project IMPACT 2.0 Announces Program Expansion and New Partnerships

 The National Medical Association has joined forces with the W. Montague Cobb Institute to expand Project IMPACT 2.0, the collaborative program designed to Increase Minority Participation & Access to Clinical Trials. 

NMA and The Cobb Institute are working in partnership to provide educational resources aimed at supporting research careers in the heart of our communities. And because community research thrives when patients are comfortable with the idea of clinical trials, grassroots engagement with patients and families – meeting people where they are – will be an essential part of building a medical research ecosystem which benefits everyone it touches.

Cobb Institute President & CEO, Dr. Randall Morgan, who will lead the program in its next phase in collaboration with NMA Executive Director, Martin Hamlette, Esq. Project IMPACT 2.0 welcomes Cobb team member Rolf Taylor as Program Director, overseeing surveys, needs assessments, webinars, communications and digital engagement. Dr Doris Browne will continue to lead medical and scientific liaison for the program, with Dr. Winston Price overseeing liaison with regional NMA Societies and the Cobb Scholars program. Conchita Burpee’ will lead grassroots community engagement.

During 2026, Project IMPACT 2.0 will reach more professionals and patients than ever before, with an ambitious program of events, new resources and new partners. NMA members who are interested in developing their research skills and the benefits of research participation for their patients are encouraged to stay connected and take advantage of the resources available.

New CME-accredited Educational Resources

 Project IMPACT 2.0 is working in partnership with partner Strategic Medical Associates to provide CME-accredited training for researchers working in minority communities.

 From learning about the “industry players,” research funding, the terminology, the processes, and the controls for drug discovery, to recruiting with diversity, equity and inclusion in mind, this is a comprehensive training program which tackles under-representation head-on.

 The course also prepares healthcare providers with the background and skills to contribute to research leadership activities in other ways, such as making referrals, community initiatives, advisory groups aimed at increasing participation, as well as becoming an actual investigator.

 “Clinical Research Training for Health Professionals” is also an ideal primer for professionals in readiness for next steps, including preparing for industry engagement, and learning about the business and team building aspects of research sites. 

More information and to register click here:

https://strategicmedicalassociatesllc.com/training/

A New State-of-the-Art Researcher Database for Project IMPACT 2.0

This initiative will leverage advanced AI and geo-location technologies to identify minority researchers and map their areas of expertise, creating a dynamic, centralized resource to support more effective research engagement. The database will also integrate Project IMPACT 2.0 survey responses and aggregate contact information to enable sustained engagement over time.

This initiative addresses a critical gap. Evidence consistently shows that patients are more likely to engage in clinical trial discussions when they see themselves reflected in their healthcare providers. At the same time, study sponsors often face challenges identifying and connecting with investigators who are both representative of and actively engaged in underrepresented communities. By building a robust, searchable database, Project IMPACT 2.0 will foster a more connected community of minority researchers and strengthen links between those working in these populations and relevant research opportunities, collaborators, and resources.

Over time, this capability will enable the National Medical Association to support study sponsors in reaching specific communities with greater precision and credibility, delivering outreach through a trusted, culturally aligned network.

IMPACT: "Increase Minority Participation & Awareness of Clinical Trials"

• The highest ethical standards for clinical researchers
• The highest ethical treatment for all clinical trial participants
• Federal legislation designed to protect the rights and welfare of all people who participate in any clinical research study
• The inclusion of more minorities in clinical research

What We Do

• Project I.M.P.A.C.T. educates African American physicians and facilitates their participation in clinical and biomedical research
• Develops culturally and contextually appropriate clinical trial materials
• Maintains a database of minority physician investigators interested in participating in clinical trials
• Educates consumers and patients about the clinical research process and works to improve their interest in participation
• Formulates and initiates mechanisms for the effective dissemination of information regarding biomedical research involving African Americans
• Collaborates and partners with the public and private sector to increase minority awareness and participation in biomedical research and clinical trials

Learn More 

Project IMPACT Website 

• Physician Education and Training Programs
• Consumer Awareness and Educational Materials
• Advisory Committee
• Staff

NMA Forms Project IMPACT 2.0 Coalition to Increase Minority Participation in Clinical Trials

Silver Spring, MD - The National Medical Association (NMA) is launching the formation of the Project IMPACT 2.0 (Increase Minority Participation and Awareness of Clinical Trials) Coalition. Since its inception in 1999, Project IMPACT has remained steadfast in its commitment to improve the validity of clinical trials data by supporting the use of medications in African American and other minority patients. The Project IMPACT 2.0 Coalition will bring together stakeholders from industry, research institutions, regulatory agencies and the community to examine critical barriers to diverse participation in clinical research, to educate providers and consumers about the importance of diversity in clinical research, and to identify opportunities for underrepresented minority providers to participate as investigators in clinical research, all in an effort to increase our impact.

Project IMPACT trained hundreds of minority healthcare providers for participation in clinical trials, and Project IMPACT 2.0 aims to do the same. “My patients are better served by the knowledge and skills I gained from attending the IMPACT training,” said Dr. John McAdory, an internist in Miami, FL and graduate of the IMPACT program. “As a clinical investigator, I contributed to the “evidence” in evidence-based medicine and, as a result, both my patients and I have gained from the experience.”

“The importance of increasing participation of people from groups who are underrepresented in clinical trials cannot be overstated. NMA is committed to developing an aggressive campaign to educate the public and quell the history, myths, and distrust associated with clinical trials in the minority community,” said Dr. Leon McDougle, President of the National Medical Association.

African Americans represent 13 percent of the U.S. population but only five percent of physicians, and only one percent of clinical investigators. According to Dr. Doris Browne, Principal Investigator of this initiative, “Increasing the number of African American physicians who value, understand, and participate in clinical research will lead to increased participation of underserved populations in clinical trials, thus, leading to better health outcomes.”

Coalition members, to date, include: W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute; Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Amgen; Eli Lilly and Company; Janssen, Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson; Novartis; and Pfizer.

It is our duty as healthcare providers, scientists, researchers, and educators to be a trusted voice, not only for the African American community, but for all populations, about the importance of being actively involved in their medical care, treatment and research.