MBRS-IMSD Program at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Cen

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In 2004 the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center consolidated its campus with the University of Colorado at Denver downtown campus to become the University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center (UCDHSC). Because urban high schools with sizable populations of ethnic and racial minorities have to contend with a myriad of cultural and societal issues affecting basic achievement and academic proficiency, students with underlying talent and capability are too often not afforded the intellectual support available to students from more affluent suburban school districts. We will intervene by providing promising students with a program designed to strengthen their fundamental skills, enhance their academic credentials, and elicit their passion for science. Our objectives are (1) to provide a Summer Science Academy designed to improve any deficiencies in basic math, science, or language skills; (2) to use supplemental instruction to improve retention and enable at least 80% of participants to succeed in gatekeeper courses; (3) to prepare students for research careers via hands-on training in molecular biology techniques and advanced training in systems biology (proteomics, genomics and bioinformatics); (4) to prepare students for a research career by providing workshops in study skills, time management, library research skills, scientific/technical writing, critical literature review, ethics, and competent communication; (5) to provide a selected group of participants with employment as student researchers, addressing research problems particularly focused on diseases, including HIV, diabetes, heart disease, and others, that affect minority populations disproportionately (15 hours per week for 9 academic months per year, 40 hours per week during the summer); (6) to prepare students for graduate school by offering a GRE preparation course and guidance on writing graduate school essays, navigating the application process and developing interview skills so that 100% of participating students apply to and 65% are accepted into a graduate school program; and (7) to provide a selected group of students with the support necessary to succeed in required courses in graduate school and apply for a predoctoral fellowship; 90% will complete their dissertation project in a timely fashion. Faculty members from UCDHSC as well as graduate students, fellows and upperclassmen will participate as peer tutors, supplemental instruction facilitators or instructors in the proposed courses/ workshops/ academies. The Chancellor, Provost, Deans and Vice Chancellors have committed funds to support the program and will fund additional slots for highly qualified candidates beyond what has been budgeted in the application, if necessary. Assessment, process and outcome evaluations will be conducted using tools developed by the Associate Dean for Curriculum and Evaluation. We will employ a newly implemented tracking system to measure the impact of the IMSD program on elevating student participant interest in biomedical research and their success in gaining entry into Ph.D.-track programs. Because urban high schools with sizable populations of ethnic and racial minorities have to contend with a myriad of cultural and societal issues affecting basic achievement and academic proficiency, students with underlying talent and capability are too often not afforded the intellectual support available to students from more affluent suburban school districts. We propose to intervene by providing promising students with a program designed to strengthen their fundamental skills, enhance their academic credentials, and elicit their passion for science. Boosting the number of successful biomedical researchers from underrepresented communities will bring much needed diversity to our ranks and potentially encourage greater research interest into the health disparities experienced by these populations.