Call Me Doctor ESTEEMED Scholars Program at Clemson University

抽象/总结

ABSTRACT/SUMMARY To address the shortage of underrepresented STEM professionals, The Call Me Doctor® ESTEEMED Scholars Program will serve as the undergrad arm of Clemson’s existing Call Me Doctor® Graduate Fellowship Program, establishing a pipeline for underrepresented undergraduates in bioengineering and bioengineering-related fields. The program integrates sustainable strategies through a combination of existing and innovative programming to offer academic, mentoring, and research support to increase participation of underrepresented students in PhD and MD/PhD careers in biomedical research. The program objectives will be achieved through the following aims: AIM 1 - Create communities of support through formal and informal mentoring networks, AIM 2 - Support early development of research skills and scientific communication, and AIM 3 - Facilitate exploration of advanced careers related to biomedical engineering through professional and career development workshops with subsequent self-reflection to create a Program Portfolio. The key elements of the Call Me Doctor® ESTEEMED Scholars Program are 1) EUREKA!, a Summer Bridge program that provides early immersion in research experiences for incoming freshmen that will be combined with coursework in computing and introductory biomedical science concepts, 2) Academic year activities including laboratory rotations for lab selection; laboratory research; mentoring by Call Me Doctor® graduate fellows, peers, faculty, and staff; lunch-and-learn career panels; visits to biomedical and clinical research labs, and presentation of research at the annual Call Me Doctor® Symposium; 3) Development of a program portfolio including self-reflections of research and career exposures; 4) Sophomore summer research experience; and 5) Junior year transition to the bioengineering department’s advanced thesis-based honors program, a program with an over 75% success rate of enrollment in advanced degree programs. The diverse team of five Clemson University investigators is led by an African- American female (Alexander-Bryant), recipient of a 2021 NSF Early CAREER Award, and an African-American male (Gilmore), director of the existing Call Me Doctor® Graduate Fellowship Program. All team members are members of the bioengineering department’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which the PI directs. Outcomes of the program include 1) development of research and scientific communication skills, 2) presentation of research at local and national conferences, 3) publication of research in scientific journals, 4) participation in sophomore summer research, 5) transition upon junior year into the bioengineering department’s honors program, and 6) 75% matriculation into graduate school.