Post Baccalaureate Research Opportunity To Promote Equity In Learning (PROPEL).

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT An R25 PREP Grant would provide the core funding for a new postbaccalaureate program at UCSF. This program will build on our highly successful pilot program, PROPEL, which will end this year. The goal of the PREP program will be to provide trainees from historically underrepresented backgrounds with the research experience and enhanced scientific training needed to be competitive for top-tier biomedical science PhD and MD/PhD programs. To achieve this goal, we have developed a research education plan that includes defined Aims and measurable outcomes. Aim 1 is to provide PREP scholars with the opportunity to obtain substantive experience conducting rigorous biomedical research in a full-time mentored research position. A substantive experience conducting original research in a laboratory is one of the strongest predictors of success in graduate school. However, research internships are few and far between at many universities, and we find that insufficient research experience is one of the most common reasons why trainees from historically underrepresented groups are not competitive for our graduate programs. Aim 1 addresses this gap in experience by placing trainees into UCSF labs, where they obtain first-hand experience conducting discovery-based research in a supportive, mentored environment. Progress on their research as well as toward their scientific and career development goals are defined in a Mentoring Plan and monitored by their research mentor and in biannual committee meetings. Aim 2 is to promote the development of scientific knowledge and communication skills. A broad foundation of knowledge about modern biomedical science is important to prepare scholars for graduate level research in this multidisciplinary era, and to help them make informed decisions about what type of PhD program they want to go into. To develop this knowledge, PREP scholars attend lectures, and participate in educational activities such as a literature review workshop and biostatistics and programming classes. The scholars’ scientific development is assessed by the instructors, and the program content is evaluated and updated regularly. Aim 3 is to promote career development skills and a sense of community that reinforce scientific identity. A major barrier for many applicants to graduate school is a lack of sufficient experience with professional work environments as well as a lack of knowledge about the specific expectations of a graduate program in the biological sciences. To address this need, our scholars complete a series of workshops, mentored activities, and self-directed exercises that help to develop this crucial knowledge and professional skill set. The scholar’s career development is monitored through regular meetings with their mentors and with structured evaluations, and tangible products from these activities, such as an individual development plan and draft personal statement. These are used to reinforce the scholars’ scientific identity and prepare graduate school applications. Collectively, we expect that the experiences in the PREP Program will make our scholars more competitive for graduate school and will substantially advance their careers.