University of Maryland First Program

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SPECIFIC AIMS African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian, and Alaska Native individuals make up 34% of the population, however they are underrepresented in the biomedical sciences. Underrepresented minorities (URM) make up 15% of PhD graduates and representation further along the pipeline in academia shows further attrition with URMs comprising only 9% of Assistant Professor and 4% of tenured faculty positions. Lastly, URM scientists receive only 6% of NIH research grants which are a necessity for establishing and maintaining a successful research career. The inability to maintain a diverse pool of faculty who conduct biomedical and health related research has wide spread implications. Increasing representation within research institutions will allow academic medicine to meet the needs of a diverse nation and address persistent health inequities and disparities, such as those illustrated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To address the critical gap of underrepresentation, institutional strategies must establish equitable and inclusive recruitment and faculty development that directly address existing barriers to this population. The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) have longstanding individual and collaborative efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the biomedical sciences, with programs supporting trainees from middle school to graduate and medical school training. Collectively UMSOM & UMBC pipeline programs and partnerships stemming from these programs have increased the recruitment of UR students and enhanced trainee diversity at all levels; however, recruitment and retention of faculty from underrepresented groups signifies a key gap in this trajectory. Currently, at UMSOM and UMBC URMs make up only 5.3% and 12% of total tenure track faculty, respectively. URM in the biomedical sciences have expressed low representation leads to social and professional isolation. Lack of critical mass of minority faculty, coordinated programs and resources to support retention and promotion, and senior leader who serve as diversity champions have been identified as key barriers to the recruitment, retention, and promotion of URM faculty. To address existing barriers to URM faculty retention and promotion we will build off prior experience from UMBC’s nationally renowned Meyerhoff Scholars Program. The success of students within the Meyerhoff Scholars Program has been attributed to addressing 4 critical factors: academic and social integration, knowledge and skill development, support and motivation, and monitoring and advising. The overall goal of the faculty development core is to transform our faculty development approach through adaptation of the Meyerhoff model using coordinated programs and resources to: 1) support the development, retention, and promotion of URM faculty, 2) create a network of senior leaders who serve as diversity champions to sustain inclusion and equity and, 3) over the long term increase the critical mass of URM faculty within the University of Maryland. Towards this goal, the specific aims of the faculty development core are: • To ensure the University of Maryland (UM) FIRST faculty cohorts achieve academic & social Integration. We will utilize existing campus networks and events, combined with individual support for integration, to ensure UM FIRST faculty are included within the fabric of their academic department and institution. In addition, a pilot grant program will encourage academic integration through the formation of new collaborations between UM FIRST and UMSOM and UMBC investigators. • To use monitoring & advising of UM FIRST faculty cohort progress to support long term success. We will combine individual development plans, mentoring committees, and administrative support to provide continual monitoring and support for UM FIRST faculty career progression. • To ensure UM FIRST faculty develop skills & knowledge in scientific writing, grant writing, and scientific management, leadership, and teaching. UM FIRST faculty will participate in a pre-defined curriculum, the FIRST Curriculum, that will focus on developing the skills and knowledge essential for an independent research career, including the required milestones to achieve promotion and tenure. Informed by their IDP and mentoring committee, UM FIRST faculty will select the most appropriate training based on their current needs in each of the following focus areas: 1) scientific writing; 2) grant writing; and 3) scientific management, leadership, and teaching. • To provide support & motivation to the UM FIRST faculty cohort through peer-mentoring and individual coaching. UM FIRST faculty will participate in peer mentoring groups and receive individual coaching to receive support while pursuing their professional and research goals. By adapting the Meyerhoff model for faculty development we will implement a scalable model to increase coordinated programs and resources to support retention and promotion of URM and create a network of senior leaders who serve as diversity champions. The success of the UM FIRST program is central to the mission of both institutions and a key priority to establish a critical mass of diverse faculty while continuing to enhance equity and inclusion, specifically in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of URM faculty on both campuses.