Diversity in Biomedical Sciences Via Personalized Research and Education Programs for Post-Baccalaureates

 描述（由申请人提供）：尽管总人口增加，但接受生物和物理科学研究生培训的代表性不足的少数民族（URM）人数仍然很少。URM申请和被录取到生物医学科学研究生课程的主要障碍包括有限的研究经验，有限的生物科学高级课程，不熟悉申请过程，不了解博士的职业机会，以及标准化考试分数较低（例如，GRE的）。认识到这些问题和需要增加自己的博士课程和教师以及整个领域的多样性，哈佛艺术与科学研究生院发起了一个正式的生命科学学士后试点项目，称为研究学者倡议。该提案旨在通过建立学士后研究教育计划（PREP学者计划）来扩大这一计划。该计划将为有兴趣在传统的实验室生物医学科学（称为生命科学）或非实验室生物医学科学（称为人口健康科学）中攻读博士学位/ScD的个人提供1-2年的研究和教育培训机会。目标是：1）为10名学者提供个性化的研究教育和培训机会; 2）至少有90%完成至少一年的研究培训; 3）至少有75%的人申请并被录取为顶级博士（博士或ScD），或在某些情况下，医学博士/博士课程在生物医学科学。此外，通过为生命科学和人口健康科学的受训者提供早期接触对方学科的机会，我们希望使他们能够更好地了解对方领域的研究，并在未来的研究计划中播下跨学科合作的种子。目标将通过以下方式实现：1）PREP学者与生命和人口健康科学教师进行独立研究一年，可能两年; 2）制定个性化计划，以加强学术准备（例如，定量方法、细胞生物学、计算等）; 3)为每个学者建立一个咨询委员会，以扩大他们的指导网络; 4）让学者参加专门的课程和研讨会，旨在培养研究生院成功的关键技能; 5）让他们参与研究讨论，使PREP学者接触人口健康和生命科学研究; 6）通过提供机会与我们的计划和该地区的其他计划中的现有学生和教师互动，使学者熟悉研究生培训环境。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The number of underrepresented minorities (URM) receiving graduate training in the biological and physical sciences continues to be small despite increases in the total population. Major obstacles for URMs applying to and being admitted to graduate programs in the biomedical sciences include limited research experience, limited advanced courses in the biological sciences, unfamiliarity with the application process, unawareness of career opportunities for PhD's, and lower scores on standardized tests (e.g., GRE's). Recognizing these issues and the need to increase the diversity of its own doctoral programs and faculty as well as the field as a whole, Harvard's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences initiated a formal post-baccalaureate pilot program in the life sciences called the Research Scholar Initiative. This proposal seeks to expand this program by establishing a Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP Scholars Program). The program will provide a 1-2 year research and educational training opportunity for individuals interested in pursuing PhD's/ScD's in either the traditional lab-based biomedical sciences (referred to as Life Sciences) or non-lab based biomedical sciences (referred to as Population Health Sciences). The goals are to 1) provide a personalized research education and training opportunity for 10 scholars/yr; 2) have at least 90% complete at least one year of research training; and 3) have a minimum of 75% apply to and be admitted to top doctoral (PhD or ScD) or in some cases, MD/PhD programs in the biomedical sciences. In addition, by providing early exposure of the trainees in the Life Sciences and Population Health Sciences to the disciplines of the other, we hope to enable them to better understand research in each other's areas and plant the seeds of interdisciplinary collaborations in their future research programs. Goals will be achieved by 1) PREP Scholars doing independent research with faculty in the Life and Population Health Sciences for one year and possibly two years; 2) developing a personalized program to enhance academic preparation (e.g., quantitative methods, cell biology, computing, etc.); 3) Establishing an advisory committee for each scholar to expand their mentoring network; 4) Having Scholars participate in program-specific courses and workshops designed to build skills critical for graduate school success; 5) Engaging them in research discussions that will expose PREP Scholars to Population Health and Life Sciences research; 6) Familiarize scholars with graduate training environment by providing opportunities to interact with current students and faculty in our program and other programs in the area.