The KU Post Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) recruits talented scholars from Haskell, KU and other institutions. We place much importance on the development and implementation of an individual development plan (IDP) that is based on the scholar's goals combined with the results of careful academic evaluation and assessments. The IDP development begins with the interviews of the scholars before they are admitted to the program. Research training is a central focus of the IDP. This research experience will concentrate on training to enhance the skills to conduct independent research and the ability to test scientific hypotheses. The research training relies upon a close mentoring relationship between the scholar, PREP PIs, the PREP Program Coordinator and a faculty research mentor selected from a large group of research faculty with demonstrated commitment and ability to mentor students from underrepresented groups. The IDP also shapes the scholar's training with academic coursework and professional development activities. PREP scholars improve competencies in critical / analytical thinking, comprehension and exposition of appropriate scientific materials and in academic preparation in scientific and quantitative skills as appropriate. Scholars complete a series of seminars in the responsible conduct of research, test taking strategies, and preparing competitive applications to graduate school. Careful internal and external evaluations of the program each year have led to enhancements in the training experiences of our scholars. We have developed expertise in identifying characteristics of applicants for whom our program will produce high impact outcomes. Importantly, we have learned that it is essential for scholars to obtain a 'fast start', particularly in their research experiences in order to successfully complete their training within one year. These, as well as future modifications, in response to program evaluation will allow KU PREP to advance at least 75% of its scholars into graduate school with a PhD completion rate of 80%, thereby opening opportunities for AIs and other underrepresented students to gain access to the biomedical research community. PREP has provided training for 49 underrepresented scholars of whom nearly half are American Indians (AIs) including 16 AIs from our partnering tribal college, Haskell Indian Nations University. The success rate of moving into graduate school has improved steadily with maturation of the program. 88% of our current scholars (including two PREP participants from Haskell) have already been accepted to their preferred schools with others being finalists in highly selective institutions. The number of underrepresented students who graduated from KU has more than doubled from the last to the current PREP funding period. Continuation of KU PREP will build on these successes and provide the needed training for talented American Indians and individuals from other underrepresented groups to enter graduate school and consequent careers in biomedical research.
The proposed project will increase the diversity of the scientific community by preparing American Indians and other underrepresented students for graduate study and eventual careers in biomedical research. Because of the breadth of disciplines, the project will increase interest from a wide range of perspectives in research regarding diseases with a high incidence in minority populations, improving both health care and disease prevention in this country.
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