Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program at UC Davis

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Many students from minority populations or disadvantaged backgrounds are underrepresented in PhD-level biomedical research, perhaps having decided not to enter PhD programs because they either lack academic preparation or fail to self-identify as research scientists. The goal of PREP at UC Davis (PREP@UCD) is to provide such students with the research, communication, analytical, and life skills required to excel in doctoral programs in the biomedical sciences. The University of California, Davis, has a broad base of biomedical research funded by the NIH, is committed to diversity through a host of campus-wide academic and cultural initiatives, and is dedicated to enriching undergraduate and graduate student education in the biomedical sciences, making it an ideal institution to host a PREP program. Moreover, UC Davis is actively pursuing status as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Up to eight PREP scholars annually will participate in research (75%) and career development activities (25%) under the close guidance of a mentorship team consisting of research supervisors, a faculty advisor, the PI, and the program coordinator. Three specific aims are proposed to prepare PREP@UCD scholars for biomedical graduate programs. First, PREP will provide a mentored research environment where the scholars can develop their self-image as scientists. A recent study of PREP scholars found that success in graduate school requires that the student self-identifies as a scientist; spending a year performing individual, hypothesis-driven research will provide PREP@UCD scholars with the opportunity to do so. Second, PREP@UCD scholars will be trained in experimental skills and mentored in an active research laboratory. An individualized research prospectus will capture a hypothesis and line of research to expose the scholar to a variety of scientific approaches. Laboratory activities, academic coursework, training workshops and symposia will develop skills for gathering scientific information, working in a team, solving problems critically, and assessing research ethics and values. Third, PREP@UCD scholars will develop strong academic written and oral communication skills. Each scholar will spend 25% of his or her effort in preparing documents for graduate applications in biomedical sciences; enrolling in one senior-level course per quarter for enrichment; presenting research findings in poster and PowerPoint formats; participating in journal clubs to gain exposure to scientific literature and discourse; attending regional and national scientific conferences to network with other scholars; and participating in professional development workshops to prepare for the rigors of graduate school and career options beyond the PhD. It is expected that at least 75% of scholars will enter prestigious graduate programs upon completion of the PREP@UCD program. Moreover, the skills and scientific self-identity fostered during PREP@UCD will provide the scholars with a better chance of excelling in biomedical PhD or MD/PhD programs.