UNTHSC Short-Term Research Education Program

Jones, Harlan

Abstract

Since establishing the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) in 1992, the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC)?s long-term goal is to recruit and train students for successful biomedical research careers; cognizant of the critical need to increase opportunities for historically URMs and underserved populations. In its twenty-fifth year, 374 undergraduate students have participated in the UNTHSC Summer Multicultural Advanced Research Training Program, SMART. Greater than 88% of Scholars are URMs and/or represent historically underserved populations. To date, 82% of Scholars earning a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree are either currently enrolled or have entered biomedical research or health professional career paths. The objective of this renewal (5 R25 HL007786-25) application is to ensure that SMART Scholars are motivated and competitive for entry into graduate programs in pursuit of biomedical science research careers. A diverse cohort of Scholars will engage in a 10-week intensive mentor-guided research training and career preparation experience aligned with the National Lung Heart and Blood Institute?s (NHLBI) research mission and broadly with the NIH?s mission of diversifying the biomedical research workforce. The 4 distinct, but related Specific Aims are as follows:
Aim 1 : Recruit a diverse and talented pool of undergraduate students from across the U.S. from partner and non-partner undergraduate institutions to provide opportunities for summer training in biomedical research;
Aim 2 : Increase undergraduate students? knowledge and skills to become competitive applicants to enter graduate research programs leading to biomedical research careers;
Aim 3 : Deliver effective mentee-mentor training to create culturally responsive practices that can be utilized throughout Scholar?s undergraduate and graduate training and a faculty?s professional career and Aim 4: To promote peer and mentor networking and tracking to support Scholar?s persistence and entry into biomedical research careers. The historical success of UNTHSC-SMART underscores the positive impact expected to create for future Scholars and consequently advance diversity in the biomedical research workforce.

Public Health Relevance

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and scientific research training communities at-large recognize the significant contribution of diverse constituencies to biomedical innovation and discovery. However, less than 8% of URMs, underserved and individuals with disabilities earn doctorates in biomedical and life sciences. Based on its 25-year success, the UNTHSC SMART program?s goal is to reduce the disproportion of URMs entering the biomedical research workforce by providing undergraduate students short-term mentor-guided research experiences.