Welcome to the Mayo Clinic’s Community Outreach and Engagement Research Services (COERS) blog. COERS partners with communities and works in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to develop and execute community outreach, engagement initiatives, and health equity research to address the needs of the communities we serve.

Public blog

I am a Researcher

Community Engagement (CE) Studios

CE Studios provides an opportunity for researchers to work directly with community members, patients, caregivers, and other individuals to get meaningful insight to enhance the study design, implementation, and dissemination of their research. The incorporation of community voices leads to the development of informed research studies tailored to the communities of interest.

Benefits of CE Studios include:

  • Researchers can get consultation, guidance, and advice directly from the population in which they are interested.
  • Community experts with lived experience get to hear, firsthand, about research that will impact others with similar lived experiences.
  • The bi-directional conversation creates a stronger relationship between the researcher and the community they are interested in working with.

If you are interested in requesting a CE Studio, please email us at COERS@mayo.edu

Community Citizen Scientist (CS) Program

The CS program provides an opportunity for community members to participate in didactic and experiential learning opportunities to provide deeper exposure to the research process. The Community Scientists are equal members of the study team providing input on study design through information and result dissemination. The overall goal of the CS program is to build Mayo Clinic Research Advocates in the general community. By exposing community members to research and including them on our study teams, we are building trusting relationships and creating advocates who can help dispel myths about the research process and create a level of trust between Mayo Clinic Research and the communities we serve.

Mobile Research Unit (MRU) (FL Only)

The MRU is an RV-style vehicle that is a self-contained, mobile research facility. It includes two exam rooms, equipment for lab tests, a private area for participant interviews, audio/visual technology for participant education, and a laboratory. The unit is used to bring minimal-risk research studies to rural and hard-to-reach communities thereby expanding access to research studies.