Biomedical Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (PREP@UC)

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PREP@UC (Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program at the University of Cincinnati) will prepare college graduates from underrepresented minority groups, disadvantaged backgrounds or with disabilities (URM/DA) to succeed in a biomedical doctoral program. PREP@UC will be based in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and mentors will be drawn from the College of Medicine and the adjacent Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. The two institutions have a history of successfully mentoring URM/DA students and our experienced Program Faculty mentor both graduate and undergraduate students. PREP@UC will fill a gap in PREP program coverage in the Appalachian region and a need expressed to us by students and institutions from our PREP program service area. Cincinnati sits at the edge of Appalachia, a region that is considered economically distressed, and the city is home to large Black and Appalachian populations and a growing Hispanic population, all with high rates of poverty. When URM/DA students from our region make it to university they frequently attend institutions that lack a PhD or masters level infrastructure for career progression. The goal of PREP@UC is to enable these individuals to enter doctoral programs and then progress to careers in biomedical research. To achieve this goal, we propose an evidence- based program incorporating established educational concepts and tailored learning. PREP Scholars will have individualized mentoring and training plans (IDPs) designed to teach research skills, increase academic preparedness, build internal scientific identity and build external credentials needed for doctoral studies. The program goal will be met through the following aims. Aim 1. Empower Scholars with the confidence and sense of self-efficacy needed to succeed in doctoral studies by providing strong social support and mentoring. Scholars will have a social support network and mentoring team to help them adjust to the academic environment, develop confidence they can succeed as a scientist and build enthusiasm for this career. Aim 2. Develop Scholars' research skills using intensive mentored experiential learning. Each Scholar will be matched with a highly qualified faculty mentor and work on their own project in the mentor's lab. They will receive training in all aspects of scientific research and will experience life as a graduate student. Aim 3. Increase Scholars' readiness for biomedical doctoral programs through individually tailored academic preparation. Activities will include taking a graduate level course, training in critiquing scientific papers, oral presentations, scientific writing and preparation of graduate school applications. Through Aims 1-3, we will significantly increase Scholars' internal readiness, and academic preparedness for entry into a doctoral program. PREP@UC is unique in its focus on Black and Appalachian populations from our region and it will help boost the number of PhD-level biomedical researchers from these underrepresented groups.