Development of Modules to Train Minority Undergraduate Students in Biomedical Research Expertise

摘要 伊丽莎白城州立大学(ECSU)是一所历史悠久的黑人院校，位于东北部 北卡罗来纳州(NENC)，北卡罗来纳州经济最困难的地区之一。到期， 在某种程度上，由于ECSU的使命及其农村环境，大多数学生人口来自 从东北地区内部。一项机构自我研究确定了以下三大挑战 培养出具有博士学位竞争力的毕业生。这些挑战是：(I)缺乏学术能力 第一代大学新生和学生自我效能感问题的榜样； 代表不足的少数群体(URM)和多数群体之间的学术成就差距 学生；以及(Iii)缺乏制作有竞争力的博士项目申请的技能。ECSU 请求NIH/NIGMS支持以继续其成功的MARC U*STAR培训计划 旨在影响学生攻读博士学位的挑战，特别是 生物医学科学，通过以下长期目标：(I)提供杰出的学生研究 培训；(Ii)增加学术支持；以及(Iii)广泛影响ECSU社区以 以博士生升学为最终目标，促进学生成功。在当前的 在支助期间，我们在实现这些目标方面取得了重大进展。这个 该计划支持了24名在校和校外URM本科生的辅导 在像范德比尔特大学和杜克大学这样的著名RO1大学的研究，并提供了学术 并为这些人提供职业咨询，使他们能够提交竞争激烈的博士申请。一个 值得注意的是，65%的MARC资助学生在完成博士学位方面取得了坚实的进展 学位和90%的MARC学者已完成学士学位，并 在高级生物医学及相关领域攻读博士和学士学位后课程。 这些数据是ECSU MARC计划正在发挥作用的证据，但也表明需要 继续支持我们继续取得成功并提高体验质量 为新一批受训者准备的。为了实现这些目标，本届大赛的具体目标 更新是在过去成功的基础上进行的：(I)选择拥有优秀知识的学者 证书和获得博士学位的真诚愿望；(2)继续提供一对一 在研究和博士申请提交方面的指导增加了 成功接受方案；和(3)提供机构财政支持，以缓解 学生从从事外部工作的分心和潜在的脱轨中 学术和研究。后者很重要，因为我们的许多学生都来自 很高的经济需求。

ABSTRACT Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is a historically black institution located in Northeastern North Carolina (NENC), one of the most economically distressed regions of North Carolina. Due, in part, to the mission of ECSU and its rural setting, most of the student population originates from within the NENC region. An institutional self-study identified three major challenges in producing graduates competitive for PhD programs. These challenges are: (i) lack of academic role models for first-generation college freshman and student self-efficacy issues; (ii) achievement gaps in academics between Underrepresented Minority (URM) and majority students; and (iii) lack of skills in producing competitive PhD program applications. ECSU requests NIH/NIGMS support to continue its successful MARC U*STAR Training Program designed to impact the challenges for students to PhD pathway, especially for students in biomedical sciences, through the long-term goals of: (i) providing exceptional student research training; (ii) increasing academic support; and (iii) broadly impacting the ECSU community to promote student success with the ultimate goal of PhD degree matriculation. During the current period of support, we have made significant progress towards achieving these goals. The program supported 24 URM undergraduates in both on-campus and off-campus mentored research at such prestigious RO1 universities, like Vanderbilt and Duke, and provided academic and career counseling to these individuals toward competitive PhD application submissions. A notable 65% MARC supported students are making solid progress towards completing doctoral degrees and 90% of MARC scholars overall have completed their Bachelor’s degree and are pursuing PhD and post-Baccalaureate programs in advanced biomedical and related fields. These data are evidence that the ECSU MARC program is working, but also indicates the need for continued support to continue our successes and to improve the quality of the experience for new cohorts of trainees. To accomplish those goals, the specific aims of this competitive renewal are to build on the past successes by: (i) selecting scholars that possess excellent credentials and bona-fide desire to obtain PhDs; (ii) continuing to provide one-on-one mentorship in research and PhD application submissions that increases the likelihood of successful program acceptance; and (iii) provide institutional financial support alleviating students from the distraction and potential derailment of working external jobs while pursuing academics and research. The latter is important since many of our students are from families of high economic need.