Although the past two decades have seen higher undergraduate enrollments of minorities, there remains significant underrepresentation of African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Pacific Islanders in biomedical research careers. Solving this problem involves increasing the number of these students who pursue doctoral programs in sciences related to biomedicine. With IMSD funding, we have developed a coherent, coordinated series of enrichment activities which support and encourage minority students academically and financially from freshman through the second year of graduate school. We have cultivated academic excellence in freshman undergraduates through a structured academic program of supplemental course work in chemistry and math, gate-keepers to success in biology, while more advanced undergraduates have participated in a series of coordinated academic enrichment activities designed to hone their oral and written communication skills as well as enhance their excitement about biology. Evaluation of our undergraduate IMSD program indicates that research experience is a critical factor for graduation of these students with a degree in Biology and a 3.0 average. It also suggests that beginning this research experience during the freshman year can be a distraction to the students. Thus, in this renewal proposal, we have eliminated the placement of freshmen in a research lab, substituting a summer lab skills course instead, and providing research opportunities for the students starting their sophomore year. These activities will create investigative partnerships between research faculty and undergraduate minority students, develop the students' investigative skills, demonstrate that research is a viable career option, and increase the number of minority students eligible for graduate school. We will also continue to provide financial, academic, and personal support to minority students during their first 2 years of graduate study. Entering doctoral students will participate in a summer bridge program involving a 7 week laboratory rotation with an experienced research mentor plus weekly group meetings designed to enhance oral and written communication skills and to discuss current research topics from campus experts. These group activities, which will continue through the first year of graduate school, will help smooth the way for success in graduate school and biomedical research careers.
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