The Meharry RISE Initiative

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ABSTRACT The goal of the proposed Meharry RISE program is to significantly increase the number of minority students pursuing biomedical and behavioral sciences research careers by involving them in a program of excellence. Meharry Medical College has a strong record of graduating Ph.D.s in biomedical science disciplines, many of whom enter academic institutions where they continue the tradition of teaching, research and service that is a part of our mission. The College as a whole has a proven commitment to educating underrepresented minorities. The School of Graduate Studies and Research has graduated 208 Ph.D.s in Biomedical Sciences and more than 350 Masters of Sciences in Public Health during its 34 years of existence. Therefore it has a strong record of preparing students for research careers with a strong focus in diseases that disproportionally affect minority individuals. We have been the recipient of federally-funded underrepresented minority programs and have used these programs to contribute to the development of our students by providing strong research training coupled with excellent education opportunities. Continuing funding of a Meharry RISE program will allow us in combination with other funded programs at Meharry Medical College to provide the infrastructure and activities needed to continue to graduate at the doctoral and MSPH level more minorities in biomedical and behavioral science disciplines. The goal of the RISE program is to increase the number of graduate students pursuing research careers. A set of well defined activities has been developed to help transition Ph.D. students into research careers in biomedical sciences. These activities involve enhancement of student training with specialty courses such as Grant Writing and Bridges to Independence, Recombinant DNA and Biostatistics for Ph.D. students, as well as external research opportunities in laboratories of experts in the training area of the Ph.D. RISE student. We will also provide means for MSPH students interested in doctoral careers in behavioral sciences to perform research with a small but very strong group of faculty at Meharry and Vanderbilt who have been recently hired in this area. The overall objective of the Meharry RISE program is to provide students in the Graduate School at Meharry Medical College with enhanced opportunities to ensure their transition to successful and productive research careers. NARRATIVE The goal of the proposed Meharry RISE program is to significantly increase the number of minority students pursuing research careers in the area of biomedical and behavioral sciences. The School of Graduate Studies and Research at Meharry Medical College, a historically black college, is a leader in graduating Ph.D.s in biomedical sciences. We have graduated 208 Ph.D.s in Biomedical Sciences and more than 350 Masters of Sciences in Public Health during the School's 34 years of existence. Many of our graduates continue the tradition of teaching and research that characterizes the College. We have received federal funds to enhance the enrollment and graduation of underrepresented minorities and have provided excellent educational opportunities to all of our students. The RISE program will provide the necessary infrastructure and activities for us to continue to provide excellent graduate education to underrepresented minority students. Our goal is to increase the number of underrepresented minorities who pursue careers in research, especially since health disparity research is a major issue in the nation today.