PREP-MT: Providing Research Education for Postbaccalaureate Trainees in Montana

摘要 少数民族毕业生在全国生物医学博士项目中的比例明显偏低。蒙大拿州 州立大学(MSU)是一所研究密集型公共土地赠与大学，为许多第一- 一代农村和低收入学生，他们很少注册博士课程。同样，蒙大拿州也是 12个土著部落，其中6.5%的蒙大拿州居民认为是美国印第安人，但只有4.7%的人认为是美国印第安人 密歇根州立大学的本科生自认为是原住民，没有印第安人从密歇根州立大学的生物医学专业毕业 过去五年的博士学位课程。为了解决这些不平等问题，我们设计了一种基于证据的 学士学位后计划，预科-MT，为未被充分代表的少数族裔毕业生做准备，包括第一- 蒙大拿州的一代、农村、低收入学生和美洲原住民成功过渡到 生物医学博士学位课程。Prep-MT将为新近毕业的少数族裔毕业生配备(Prep 学者)拥有经验、自信、知识和研究技能，成为非常成功的博士 学生和毕业生。具体地说，我们的计划将追求以下具体目标：(1)深入提供， 为预备MT学者提供生物医学研究经验的指导；(2)使Prep-MT发展 与成功的生物医学科学生涯相关的专业和职业技能；(3)建立专业的 为预科-MT学者建立支持网络，以创建作为生物医学成员的归属感 研究社区。此外，我们将执行定期计划评估，将更改纳入到 改进备考-MT计划，并将我们的调查结果传播给适当的受众。我们的节目是高度 可行，因为预科-MT与现有的本科生和研究生协同整合 密歇根州立大学的研究培训计划，增加了学者的机会，最大限度地提高了我们的 资源。我们的多PI领导团队在管理提议的计划方面具有独特的地位，因为我们 在领导合作研究和培训方面有很强的背景，促进少数群体参与 生物医学研究，并与部落和农村社区合作。30多名生物医学专业的教职员工 来自十个部门的研究计划，他们已经表明致力于培训下一个 一代又一代科学家已经同意担任预科-MT项目的导师。所有导师都将收到 通过改善研究和密歇根州立大学导师经验中心进行导师培训 土著辅导计划。建议的预科-MT项目是创新的，因为它侧重于Native 美国和第一代农村和低收入毕业生，因为它强调灌输一种 属于我们的预科学员。总而言之，我们相信，准备-MT计划将显著 通过增加蒙大拿州少数群体获得高- 高质量的博士课程和有影响力的职业。

SUMMARY Minority graduates are significantly underrepresented in biomedical PhD programs nationwide. Montana State University (MSU), a research-intensive public land-grant university, serves a significant number of first- generation rural and low-income students who rarely enroll in PhD programs. Likewise, Montana is home to twelve Indigenous tribes, with >6.5% of Montana residents considered American Indians, but only 4.7% of MSU’s undergraduates identify as Native, and no Native Americans have graduated from MSU’s biomedical PhD programs in the past five years. To address these inequities, we have designed an evidence-based postbaccalaureate program, PREP-MT, to prepare underrepresented minority graduates including first- generation, rural, low-income students and Native Americans in Montana for a successful transition into doctoral degree programs in the biomedical sciences. PREP-MT will equip recent minority graduates (PREP scholars) with the experience, confidence, knowledge, and research skills to become highly successful PhD students and graduates. Specifically, our program will pursue the following Specific Aims: (1) Provide in-depth, mentored biomedical research experiences to PREP-MT scholars; (2) Enable PREP-MT to develop professional and career skills relevant to a successful career in biomedical science; (3) Build a professional support network for the PREP-MT scholars to create a sense of belonging as members of the biomedical research community. Additionally, we will perform regular program evaluations, incorporate changes to improve the PREP-MT program, and disseminate our findings to appropriate audiences. Our program is highly feasible, because PREP-MT is synergistically integrated with established undergraduate and graduate research training programs at MSU, increasing the opportunities for the scholars and maximizing our resources. Our Multi-PI leadership team is uniquely positioned to manage the proposed program, since we have a strong background in leading collaborative research and training, promoting minority involvement in biomedical research, and collaborating with tribal and rural communities. More than 30 faculty with biomedical research programs from ten departments who have demonstrated a commitment to training the next generation of scientists have agreed to serve as mentors for the PREP-MT program. All mentors will receive mentorship training through the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experience in Research and MSU’s Indigenous Mentoring Program. The proposed PREP-MT program is innovative, because of its focus on Native American and first generation rural and low-income graduates and because it emphasizes instilling a sense of belonging in our PREP participants. In summary, we are confident that the PREP-MT program will significantly enhance biomedical workforce development by increasing the access of minority groups in Montana to high- quality PhD programs and impactful careers.