UAMS Summer Undergraduate Research Program to Increase Diversity in Research

描述（由申请人提供）：美国高等教育机构在吸引、招收和毕业代表性不足的少数民族或弱势群体学生方面并不像预期的那样成功。国家数据显示，25岁以上的非西班牙裔白人获得学士学位的比率是少数族裔的2-3倍，这是导致卫生专业研究生和专业学位的一个重大问题。阿肯色大学医学科学学院（UAMS）有许多教师从事完成NHLBI使命的研究，NHLBI提供了100万美元的研究经费，美国心脏协会提供了35万美元的研究经费。因此，通过为本科生提供潜在的研究导师，UAMS很好地定位于帮助解决心血管，肺部或血液学领域研究人员的短缺。UAMS夏季本科生研究计划（SURP）旨在增加研究的多样性，以增加进入这些研究领域的学生的多样性。该提案的总体目标是为学生提供研究，指导和网络经验；实际手术观察；并模拟心血管演示，以增加他们对心血管、肺脏和血液学研究的兴趣。大约95%的参与者预计将完成学士学位，75%的参与者将继续接受卫生专业或研究生课程的教育。第一个目标是招募一群有学术天赋和热情的本科生，他们对从事心血管、肺部或血液研究感兴趣。目标2是促进学生和教师导师之间成功、有益的互动。学生将在暑期初与研究导师配对，并将与他们的导师一起撰写一篇论文和演讲，详细介绍他们的暑期研究经历。第三个目标是通过克林顿公共服务学院教师的正式讲座，培养学生的领导能力。目标4是提供教育机会，以激发学生对研究和卫生专业事业的兴趣。学生将参加研究研讨会，接受负责任的研究行为教育，与UAMS学生互动，并接触临床活动。最终目标是每年对项目及其活动进行评估，以确保为本科生提供一个出色的暑期研究项目。在研究的各个方面，研究人员倾向于选择他们熟悉和过去经验的研究领域。让学生接触针对心脏病、中风、肺病和血液疾病的基础、临床和/或转化研究，将为培养对研究和学术医学的兴趣和鼓励追求提供坚实的介绍和基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): US institutions of higher education have not been as successful as desired at attracting, enrolling, and graduating underrepresented minority (URM) or disadvantaged students. National data show that non-Hispanic whites over 25 years receive a bachelor's degree at a rate 2-3 times that of minorities, a significant problem for programs that lead to graduate and professional degrees in the health professions. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has a number of faculty who engage in research that fulfills the NHLBI mission, with >$4 million in research funding from NHLBI and $0.35 million in research funding from the American Heart Association. Thus, UAMS is well positioned to help address shortfalls of researchers in cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic areas by providing an active pool of potential research mentors for undergraduate students. The UAMS Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) to Increase Diversity in Research was developed to increase the diversity of students entering these research fields. This proposal's overall goal is to provide students with research, mentoring, and networking experiences; real-life surgical observations; and simulated cardiovascular demonstrations to increase their interest in careers in cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic research. Approximately 95% of participants are expected to complete their bachelor's degrees, with 75% continuing their education in a health profession or graduate program. The first goal is to recruit a diverse group of academically talented and enthusiastic undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic research. Goal 2 is to foster successful, rewarding interaction among students and faculty mentors. Student will be paired with research mentors at the beginning of the summer and will work with their mentors on producing a paper and presentation detailing their summer research experience. The third goal is to develop student leadership skills with formal lectures by faculty from the Clinton School of Public Service. Goal 4 is to provide educational opportunities to stimulate student interest in research and health professional careers. Students will attend research seminars, be educated on the responsible conduct of research, interact with UAMS students, and be exposed to clinical activities. The final goal is evaluation of the program and its activities annually to ensure an outstanding summer research program for undergraduates. In all facets of research, investigators tend to choose research areas in which they have familiarity and past experience. Exposing students to basic, clinical, and/or translational research targeting heart disease, stroke, lung disease, and blood disorders will provide a firm introduction and foundation to foster interest in and encourage pursuit of careers in research and academic medicine. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Arkansas is primarily a rural state with a growing number of individuals living at or below the poverty level with limited access to health care. The state's poor, many of whom are members of minority groups, face health care disparities that can be reduced through health care workforce diversity. Diversity among biomedical sciences students and faculty, which the proposed initiatives will help achieve, is indispensable and will result in improved quality of medical education, improved access to health care for underserved populations, and accelerated advances in medical and public health research, resulting in a reduction in health care disparities and improved public health.