Recent research suggests a strong positive correlation between the exposure of minority students to mentoring and enrichment research, and their subsequent success as basic science researchers and medical students. The objective of this proposal is to establish a summer program which provides research experiences for highly talented minority students and teachers at the high school level. This program is a natural extension of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine's long standing tradition of innovation in medical education and research. The specific objectives of the training program will be to: 1. make minority students and teachers aware of the opportunities and challenges of biomedical research through a short, yet intensive experience, which will lay the foundation for future involvement in investigative work; 2. to provide a scholarly environment which encourages students to pursue biomedical research and medical education; 3. to promote mentoring and a constructive exchange of ideas between students and faculty; 4. to establish a network of minority students interested in biomedical research and premedical education; and 5. to establish and interdisciplinary program that is for minority students and teachers from diverse academic backgrounds. A cadre of investigators from both the clinical and basic science departments will take part in the training. The program will be directed by a steering committee composed of the principal investigator, the co-principal investigator and faculty, from both clinical and basic science departments. In addition to the laboratory and clinical research, a program of lectures (medical and nonmedical), seminars, and student research days will supplement the research experience. The training experience will be assessed from the review of written reports that will be required of trainees, from the evaluation of faculty and student attitudes toward biomedical research, and from the assessment of the eventual career of the trainees. Workshops on undergraduate admissions and financial aid will also be presented.
