University of Rochester Medical Center PREP Training Program

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ABSTRACT The University of University of Rochester Medical Center Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program training program (URMC-PREP) is an innovative and progressive program designed to prepare, promote, and continually assist the successful transition and retention of promising scholars from underrepresented groups (URGs) into rigorous biomedical research doctoral degree programs. URMC-PREP intends to aggressively achieve and maintain a success rate higher than 85% for transition of scholars into competitive and successful biomedical PhD degree programs via three specific aims: (1) Implement research and professional educational pathways to prepare scholars for doctoral programs; (2) Optimize scholar outcomes by improving mentoring practices; and (3) Commit to rigorous and continuous evaluation of directorship, mentorship, and scholar outcomes. Built upon a proven effective educational and research training plan directed by a complementary co- leadership that is supported by 3 years' success rate of graduate school acceptance over 87%, this URMC- PREP is reinforced by several key innovative features including: (i) an opportunity to develop independent research proficiency, reliability, and integrity with one of 70 faculty mentors and laboratories spread over the 14 scientific disciplines; (ii) a team-mentorship network approach including peer- and faculty- mentors plus a Steering Committee member that will guide, supervise, advise, and facilitate the scholar's research academic education, application, and matriculation into graduate school, as well as build autonomy, self-assessment, Individual Development Plans, and confidence in inclusion; (iii) a continued supervision and assistance by this mentoring network after leaving the program by regular bi-annual in-house or online meeting; (iv) an enhanced Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) representation through collaboration with partner institutions; (v) a defined training plan to improve mentoring practices through required workshops for bench mentors, orientation, and development workshops for faculty mentors; and (v) a rigorous, comprehensive, and continual multileveled evaluation plan guided by a Logic Model to assess scholars, mentors, and the program as a whole. The co-directorship and team-based mentoring within the framework of the 3 aims will insure that URMC- PREP scholars will achieve successful professional competency and the attitudinal belief of inclusion in their pursuit of graduate education and biomedical research leadership.