Kentucky Bridge to a Biomedical Doctorate for Appalachian Students

描述（由申请人提供）：这个桥梁博士课程是由东肯塔基州大学（EKU）和肯塔基州大学（英国）的教师发起的，旨在为代表性不足的学生在生物医学研究领域的职业生涯做好准备。该桥梁补助金的主要目标学生群体将是那些来自阿巴拉契亚县的学生，他们被认为是“苦恼”或“处于危险之中”，因为他们的失业率和贫困率很高。的基本原理 阿巴拉契亚贫困县的重点是，他们组成了EKU服务区的很大一部分，虽然这个桥梁计划也将奋进从其他代表性不足的群体招收学生。EKU和英国是这个特殊的桥梁计划的理想合作伙伴;两者在地理上都位于接近本补助金的目标地区，这两个机构之间已经存在着牢固的关系，他们的接近将使桥梁学生可以轻松地从EKU前往英国参加研讨会和课程。提出了一个全面的计划，为桥梁学生提供强大的硕士水平的培训，而在EKU准备他们过渡到英国综合生物医学科学（IBS）计划，他们将在生物医学研究中攻读博士学位。这项建议的目的是：（1）招募有才华的阿巴拉契亚学生到EKU进行全面的跨学科硕士课程，并由EKU和英国教师提供指导，（2）为阿巴拉契亚桥学生提供博士水平继续培训所需的技能，包括需要书面研究提案和论文，研讨会，课程和研讨会的密集研究经验，（3）提供机会，展示阿巴拉契亚桥学生在地方，区域和国家会议的成就，和（4）制定一系列指标，严格评估EKU-UK桥梁博士学位计划的成功，并在必要时进行调整/改进。随着来自EKU和英国的优秀教师谁同意担任该计划的导师，我们预计有能力招收5名学生/年，这个为期2年的硕士课程。 公共卫生相关性：这个桥梁博士学位课程的目标是准备在东肯塔基州大学硕士水平的培训代表性不足的学士学位学生，准备过渡到综合生物医学科学博士课程在肯塔基州大学。这个桥梁计划将主要针对来自阿巴拉契亚的学生，阿巴拉契亚是一个贫困地区，已经是东部肯塔基州大学服务区的很大一部分。该补助金的目的将提供全面的研究密集型培训，并包括一个评估计划，以确保该计划实现其既定目标。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Bridges to Doctorate Program is an initiative by faculty at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) and the University of Kentucky (UK) to prepare underrepresented students for careers in biomedical research. The primary target student population for this Bridges grant will be those from Appalachian counties considered to be "distressed" or "at-risk" due to their significant unemployment and poverty rates. The rationale to focus on distressed Appalachian counties is that they comprise a large part of the EKU service region, although this Bridges program will also endeavor to recruit students from other underrepresented groups. EKU and UK are ideal partners for this particular Bridges program; both are geographically situated close to the region targeted in this grant, a strong relationship already exists between these two institutions and their proximity will allow Bridge students to travel easily from EKU to UK for symposia and classes. A comprehensive plan is proposed to provide strong masters level training to Bridge students while at EKU to prepare them to transition to the UK Integrated Biomedical Sciences (IBS) program where they will pursue doctoral studies in biomedical research. The aims of this proposal are to: (1) recruit talented Appalachian students to a comprehensive interdisciplinary master's program to EKU with mentoring from EKU and UK faculty, (2) provide Appalachian Bridge students with the skill sets needed for continued training at the PhD level, including an intensive research experience that requires a written research proposal and thesis, workshops, courses, and seminars, (3) provide opportunities to showcase the achievements of Appalachian Bridge students at local, regional and national meetings, and (4) develop a series of metrics to rigorously evaluate the success of the EKU-UK Bridges to Doctorate program and make adjustments/improvements when warranted. With an excellent group of faculty from EKU and UK who have agreed to serve as mentors for this program, we anticipate the ability to recruit 5 students/year to this 2-year master's program. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The goal of this Bridges to Doctorate program is to prepare underrepresented baccalaureate students with master level training at Eastern Kentucky University in preparation for transition to the Integrated Biomedical Sciences PhD program at the University of Kentucky. This Bridges program will primarily target students from Appalachia, a disadvantaged region that is already a large part of the Eastern Kentucky University service region. The aims of this grant will provide comprehensive research-intensive training and includes an evaluation plan to insure that the program is achieving its stated objectives.