Virginia Commonwealth University IMSD Program (VCU-IMSD)

描述(由申请人提供)：弗吉尼亚联邦大学(VCU)IMSD项目是由一项自我研究推动的，该项目表明，代表不足的少数族裔(URM)VCU本科生生物学专业和生物医学科学博士生在其学术项目中表现不佳的比例很大。虽然超过三分之一的VCU一年级和二年级生物专业的学生是URM，但这些人中约40%的人由于在看门人课程中表现不佳而退出了生物专业。弗吉尼亚州立大学医学院(SOM)录取和毕业博士生的比例与全国平均水平相当，但这些人毕业所需的时间更长，工作效率更低(第一篇和合著者论文较少)。为了解决这些差异，我们提出了一个分两个阶段的、全面的研究和教育计划，旨在为URM本科生和博士生提供在研究领域取得成功所必需的理论背景、技术技能、批判性思维/解决问题的能力、信心和决心。VCU IMSD计划利用现有的资源，建立在现有成功模式的基础上，并采用新的策略来干预“处于危险”的学生。VCU IMSD本科生阶段将面向16名有才华的生物学学生参加一项计划，该计划提供(A)旨在逐步向学生介绍生物医学研究基本概念的高度结构化的课程，(B)在为期两年的独立研究项目之后的早期和密集的指导研究经验，(C)由志同道合的学者组成的“学习社区”，旨在将IMSD学者置于持续学习和个人/专业发展的氛围中，以及(D)各种丰富的活动，提供机会练习口头和书面陈述技能，为准备研究生院申请提供咨询，并开发在标准化考试中取得成功所需的技能集。该计划的博士阶段将每年招收两名国际管理发展学院预科博士，他们将参加(A)“预科”暑期计划，该计划提供批判性科学思维和基础生物化学、细胞和分子生物学方面的课程和高度指导的研究经验，(B)减少课程负担，提供在两年内完成博士一年级课程的选项，以及(C)强化活动，强调培养批判性思维/解决问题的能力，提供发展沟通技能的机会，并提供网络机会，旨在建立信心，建立自我效能，并促进在研究中取得成效所必需的独立性。我们坚信，VCU IMSD项目不仅将确保IMSD支持的学生承诺并完成生物医学科学博士学位，而且IMSD学生的热情和激情将影响他们没有支持的同龄人，并激发他们对生物医学研究的兴趣。 公共卫生相关性：医学的未来取决于生物医学研究和研究给疾病机制带来的新发现。然而，不仅在医疗保健和疾病方面存在差异，在推动生物医学向前发展的研究人员中也存在差异。VCU-IMSD计划旨在通过增加在生物医学研究方面接受博士水平培训的代表性不足的少数民族的数量来解决这一差距。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) IMSD program as prompted by a self-study which indicated that significant percentages of underrepresented minority (URM) VCU undergraduate Biology majors and PhD students in the biomedical sciences are underperforming in their academic programs. Although more than 1/3 of VCU freshman and sophomore Biology majors are URM, ~40% of these individuals drop out of the Biology major due to poor performance in gatekeeper courses. The VCU School of Medicine (SOM) matriculates and graduates PhD students at rates that are comparable to the national average, but these individuals take longer to graduate and are less productive (fewer first and co-author papers) than are their majority peers. To address these disparities, we propose a two-phase, comprehensive research and education program intended to provide URM undergraduate and PhD students with the theoretical background, technical skills, critical thinking/ problem solving abilities, confidence, and determination necessary to succeed in careers in research. The VCU IMSD program takes advantage of existing resources, builds on existing successful models, and incorporates novel strategies to intervene with "at risk" students. The undergraduate phase of VCU IMSD will target 16 talented Biology students for participation in a program that provides (a) highly-structured courses intended to incrementally introduce students to basic concepts in biomedical research, (b) an early and intensive mentored research experience followed by a 2-year independent research project, (c) a "Learning Community" of like-minded scholars, intended to envelope IMSD Scholars in a atmosphere of continuous learning and personal/ professional development, and (d) a variety of enrichment activities providing opportunities to practice oral and written presentation skills, counseling in preparation of graduate school applications, and development of skills sets necessary for success on standardized exams. The PhD phase of the IMSD program will be admit two IMSD Predocs/ year who will participate in (a) a "pre-matriculation" summer program that provides courses in Critical Scientific Thinking and basic Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology and a highly mentored research experience, (b) a reduced course load that offers the option of completing the first year of PhD courses over the course of two years, and (c) enrichment activities that stress the development of critical thinking/ problem solving capacities, offer opportunities to develop communications skills, and provide networking opportunities intended to build confidence, establish self- efficacy, and promote the independence that is necessary to be productive in research. We strongly believe that the VCU IMSD program will not only ensure IMSD-supported students' commitment and completion of the PhD in biomedical sciences but that the enthusiasm and passion of IMSD students will impact on their non- supported peers and spark their interest in biomedical research as well. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The future of medicine depends on biomedical research and the new discoveries that research brings to disease mechanisms. However, disparities exist, not only in healthcare and disease but also in the researchers who push biomedicine forward. The VCU-IMSD program is intended to address this disparity by increasing the number of underrepresented minorities who pursue PhD level training in biomedical research.