MBRS IMSD Program at the University of California Irvine

描述(由申请人提供)：加州大学欧文分校(UCI)的MBRS-IMSD项目始于1996年，是一项综合努力，旨在增加从事生物医学研究职业的未被充分代表的少数族裔(URM)本科生和研究生的数量。在上一个资助周期(2004-2007年)，该计划提高了本科生毕业后进入博士课程的比率，并增加了加州大学圣迭戈分校完成博士课程的URM学生的数量。在教师导师的指导下进行的独立付费研究是诱使MBR学生追求研究生院和以研究为重点的职业的核心要素。100多名拥有资助研究项目的教职员工担任MBR学员的导师。该计划提供了一系列内容，以提高本科生(大一到大四)进入生物医学博士课程的兴趣、动机和学术准备，包括科学课程的同行辅导/辅导计划、研讨会系列、关于实验室方法的研讨会、科学交流、GRE准备和研究生院的申请。该计划的研究生部分旨在为URM博士生提供全面的培训，使他们在研究生院表现出色。该计划为即将入学的URM博士生提供暑期研究培训，为他们准备核心研究生课程，举办关于校外资助、非院系研究生学习咨询和指导的研讨会，为博士课程第一年后的口试做准备，以及为进入候选人资格和论文研究做准备。 公共卫生相关性：将代表性不足的少数群体纳入生物医学科学劳动力队伍，对于满足改善美国人民健康和消除全国健康差距的需要至关重要。该项目将提高来自代表性不足群体的本科生和研究生的质量和数量，这些学生将被培训为下一代生物医学研究科学家。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The MBRS-IMSD Program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) started in 1996 as a comprehensive effort to increase the number of underrepresented minority (URM) undergraduate and graduate students pursuing biomedical research careers. During the last funding cycle (2004-07), the program has increased the rate at which undergraduate participants enter PhD programs following graduation and the number of URM students completing PhD programs at UCI. Independent paid research conducted under the direction of faculty mentors serves as a core element to induce MBRS students to pursue graduate school and research-focused careers. Over 100 faculty with funded research programs serve as preceptors of MBRS trainees. The program offers a series of components to increase the interest, motivation and academic preparedness of undergraduates (freshmen to seniors) to enter PhD programs in biomedical sciences, including a peer tutoring/mentoring program of science classes, a seminar series, workshops on laboratory methods, scientific communications, GRE preparation and application to graduate school. The graduate component of the program is designed to provide a comprehensive training for URM Ph.D. students to excel in graduate school. The program provides summer research training for incoming URM PhD students to prepare them for the core graduate classes, a workshop on extramural funding, counseling and orientation about the graduate studies in a non-departmental setting, a workshop to prepare oral exams after the first year in the PhD program and preparation for advancement to candidacy and dissertation research. Public Health Relevance: The inclusion of underrepresented minorities in the biomedical scientific workforce is critical to address the need of improving the health of the people of the United States and eliminating health disparities in the nation. This project will improve the quality and quantity of undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups being trained as the next generation of biomedical research scientists.