The UIC School of Medicine will conduct the a Program for 20 disadvantaged junior and senior high school students and five in-and/or pre-service teachers who teach, or will teach, life sciences to a significant number of disadvantaged students.Biomedical scientists from the college's basic sciences and clinical departments will mentor students and teachers in hands-on research experiences for eight weeks during the summer. The scientists will design specific scientific projects for participants or they will involve them in research activities already underway in the laboratory. Students will receive training in scientific methods, hypothesis formation, ethics, and methodology of the laboratory in which they are assigned. Students will also be exposed to, and/or be involved in, special enrichment activities that include: research seminars, health professions' lectures, a pre-college workshop, and a scientific or other enrichment field trip, etc., in further attempts to influence students to begin preparing for enrollment in biomedical/behavioral research and health professions' programs. Mentors will instruct teachers in computer-based learning techniques, development of molecular medicine methodology-based learning plans, and curricular activities based around molecular medicine methodology. The purpose will be to broaden teachers' knowledge and skills to enable them to implement new scientific lesson plans in their classrooms to motivate more of their students to become interested in science, and to train more of their students for college who are prepared to pursue courses of study that lead to enrollment in health sciences and health professions' programs.
