The overall aim of the proposed program is to increase the pool of underrepresented minority high school students who are interested and academically prepared to pursue careers in biomedical research and the health professions. Participating students will spend eight weeks in a laboratory conducting full-time research in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pharmacology, and Physiology. The program will provide minority high school students with the opportunity to be exposed and become aware of a scientific career by becoming engaged in active research under the direction of a PSM faculty member. The students will be enrolled in the summer as they finish their junior year and continue for the following academic or senior year until they enter College. In addition to the research experience, a monthly- lecture series will be offered during the academic year to expose students to role models and the different health profession. A total of eight students and two teachers will be selected to participate every year. This will allow for the participation of six schools from the Ponce Educational District, throughout the three year duration of the program. Partnerships will be established with two high schools from the Ponce Educational Region and four students and one teacher from each school will be recruited to participate each year. During the first week of the program, conferences and workshops will be held on the Use of the Scientific Method, Safety in the Laboratory: risks, rules, and regulations; How to keep a record book - record keeping; Literature Search - How to use the Library, Medline, make a literature search, and making a bibliography; Basic laboratory techniques - workshop; and Use of Computers in the Research Laboratory. During these lectures, students will be taken to visit the different laboratories, so that they can select a laboratory to spend the remaining time of their training at PSM. Investigators will be asked to give a brief description of their research and will also be consulted, so as to match the student in the proper environment. Students will then engage in research work with their respective supervisors. Once a month, preferably on Saturdays, the students will meet as a group to discuss their progress and experiences, and to attend a seminar, by an invited investigator. At the end of the program, students will present orally their research work, submit a brief written report, and fill out evaluation forms. A farewell get-together will be held, at which time students will be presented with certificates.
