The long range goal of this project is to involve underrepresented minorities in positive research endeavors that will enhance their commitment and success as biomedical researchers. This project will provide research and educational opportunities for underrepresented minority students who are in three different phases of biomedical career development: undergraduates - to strengthen their interest in and preparation for Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D. education; graduate students - to improve their performance, retention and graduation rates; and medical students - to enhance their interest in conducting research. Summer research opportunities will be provided for ten undergraduates/year through the SMART Program. These participants will be matched by interest to faculty investigators who are engaged in cutting edge research. During this ten week research program students will become incorporated as a member of the research team and have the opportunity to conduct the most advanced research for which they are prepared. They will be encouraged to not only learn new techniques but to participate intellectually in the research by interpreting and designing experiments as they develop an understanding of the project. The research component of the program will be supplemented by seminars, research discussion groups, career counseling, career development activities and GRE preparatory sessions. Graduate student education will be enhanced by creating an individualized development plan for each minority student. The project proposes to fund ten students/year in the early phases of their graduate training. These students will have opportunities to participate in a summer prematriculation program and take preparatory courses to strengthen their backgrounds before entering our graduate courses. They will have extended time to complete coursework with extensive tutoring support if needed. Faculty mentoring, opportunities to attend conferences and training in fellowship application and building practical skills needed by scientists will be provided. Activities of the Minority Graduate Student Association will be enhanced through increased faculty involvement and presentation of a seminar series that will feature local and external minority researchers. Research opportunities will be provided for minority medical students who will be encouraged to attend the Minority Research Seminar Series and our annual Graduate Student Symposium. Six to twelve month research positions will be provided for minority medical students who will be placed with investigators whose interests match their own to conduct projects with a high probability of success and be cultivated as future researchers.
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