Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

项目总结 多元化的生物医学科学研究队伍对国家保持全球地位至关重要 在科学发现和创新方面具有竞争力。通往这条道路的其中一条泄漏管道 研究科学职业是社区大学(CC)院校学生的入学考试 然后在四年制院校攻读学士学位课程。因此，这项建议旨在 开发一个项目，支持德克萨斯大学里约热内卢分校之间的这条管道 格兰德山谷和我们的合作伙伴CCS、德克萨斯州南端学院(TSC)和南得克萨斯州 大学(STC)。这三个机构位于南得克萨斯州的格兰德河谷(RGV)， 承担着不成比例的健康差距的负担，如肥胖、糖尿病和 心理健康问题因贫困和文盲而加剧，在#年得不到足够的服务 医疗保健。这些学术机构位于卡梅伦和伊达尔戈县，这是 以大量西班牙裔人口(分别为89.8%和92.3%)和高度贫困为特点 贫困率(分别为生活在联邦贫困线以下的人口的27.7%和29.5%)。 虽然UTRGV与TSC和STC都有谅解备忘录，以促进 从社区学院无缝转学到理科学士学位课程，转学费率和 特别是UTRGV的生物医学科学(BMED)学士学位非常低或在 好几年了。转移率方面的障碍可能与缺乏对 生物医学学士学位课程和就业机会，特别是学术 为4年的转学和成功做好准备，并提供适当的咨询和支持服务 上大学。目前，我们没有支持成功转移的正式计划 从TSC或STC到UTRGV，并成功完成BMED学位。为了努力 实现从桥梁到文凭项目的长期目标，以增加 生物医学研究队伍、UTRGV、TSC和STC致力于增加这一数字 代表人数不足的学生：1)成功完成副学士学位，并 转至UTRGV BMED计划，2)完成BMED计划，3)申请 研究生院和/或进入生物医学科学研究队伍。通过自我-- 评估为实现这一目标需要改进和加强的领域， 提出了以下具体目标：1)与社区学院建立伙伴关系 招收对生物医学科学感兴趣的潜在学生，2)开发高级 研究技能发展课程，3)提供有指导的研究经验 辅以发展研究能力的活动和4)开发方法以 加强生物医学科学教育。

PROJECT SUMMARY A diverse biomedical science research workforce is vital to the nation in remaining globally competitive in scientific discovery and innovation. One of the leaky pipelines in the pathway to research science careers is the matriculation of students at community college (CC) institutions and subsequently to baccalaureate programs at four-year institutions. Thus, this proposal aims to develop a program, which will support this pipeline between the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and our partnering CCs, Texas Southmost College (TSC) and South Texas College (STC). These three institutions are in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of South Texas, which bears the disproportionate burden of health disparities such as obesity, diabetes and mental health issues which are exacerbated by poverty and illiteracy and are underserved in healthcare. These academic institutions are located in Cameron and Hidalgo County, which is characterized by a large Hispanic population (89.8 and 92.3%, respectively) and a high poverty rate (27.7 and 29.5%, respectively of the population living below the federal poverty line). Although UTRGV has memorandum of understanding with both TSC and STC to facilitate seamless transfer from the community colleges to, transfer rates to a BS degree program and specifically to the BS in Biomedical Sciences (BMED) at UTRGV are very low or vary between years. The impediments in transfer rates may be associated with a lack of awareness of the BMED degree program and career opportunities in biomedical sciences, specific academic preparation and adequate advising and support services for transfer and success in a 4-year college. Currently, we do not have a formal program that supports successful transfer from TSC or STC to UTRGV and successful completion of a BMED degree. In an effort to fulfill the long-term goal of the Bridges to Baccalaureate program to increase diversity in the biomedical research workforce, UTRGV, TSC and STC are committed to increase the number of underrepresented students who: 1) successfully complete their Associate degrees and transfer to the UTRGV BMED program, 2) complete the BMED program and 3) apply to graduate school and/or enter the biomedical science research workforce. Through self- assessment of areas that need to be improved and strengthened to achieve this goal, the following specific aims have been proposed: 1) Establish Partnership with community colleges to Recruit Potential Students who are Interested in Biomedical Sciences, 2) Develop Advanced Courses for Research Skills Development, 3) Provide Mentored-Research Experience Supplemented with Activities to Develop Research Competencies and 4) Develop Methods to Improve Biomedical Science Education.