Expanding Participation by Minorities in Biomedical Sciences

描述（由申请人提供）：美国国立卫生研究院IMSD研究生研究员计划对UMBC的代表性不足的少数民族（URM）的博士水平培训产生了巨大的影响。自1997年成立以来，URM在支持部门（生物，化学，生物化学，化学/机械工程，人类服务心理学和物理学）的参与率分别从0%，1%，0%，1%，8%和0%增加到14%，15%，28%，10%，13%和7%。扩展到生命科学研究生课程（GPILS）在我们的姐妹校区，马里兰州巴尔的摩（UMB）的大学，在2007年引发了在UMB的URM GPILS入学率在过去4年戏剧性地增加了50%。自1997年以来，IMSD入学人数呈线性增长，目前有66名博士生参加了UMBC/UMB IMSD计划（47名非洲裔美国人，13名西班牙裔，1名美洲原住民，1名太平洋岛民，4名非URM（1名高加索人，3名中东裔女性））。保留（91%在当前的资助期）已经达到了历史最高水平，URM博士生产量大幅增加，从6 URM博士学位授予15年前IMSD到46博士授予IMSD研究员，因为我们的第一个IMSD研究员在2001年毕业（10年期间）。在46名毕业生中，有32名（70%）直接进入博士后或住院医生职位。虽然本支助期间的几乎所有量化目标都已实现，但仍然存在重大挑战。特别是，尽管13名IMSD毕业生中有10名完成了博士后培训，在政府或行业中获得了与研究相关的职位，但只有2名被录取为全职教师职位（目前都是非终身职位）。另外七名完全就业的毕业生担任兼职，非终身制的大学教师或教学职位。由于URM全职教师职位的同事可能会作为导师和榜样产生最广泛的影响，我们显然必须更好地为我们的IMSD毕业生做好准备，以应对对他们在学院的兴趣产生负面影响的压力。我们必须特别解决与NIH最近的研究结果相关的负面压力，即与同样准备好的白人同事相比，URM不太可能成功地竞争NIH的资金。我们现在建议修改我们的IMSD研究员计划，这将更好地准备感兴趣的IMSD研究员的学术生涯-一个主要的国家需要。目标包括：（1）IMSD入学率持续线性增长，同时保持高留存率，（2）在URM增长滞后的部门增加URM入学率，（3）实施新的内城高中外展部分，以加强早期管道，（4）实施新的granitarian元素，以更好地准备学生和增强信心，（5）与外部URM教师建立一对一的导师伙伴关系，以促进博士课程以外的指导和支持，以及（6）实施机构间IMSD演讲者交流计划，增加高级研究员的曝光率，并帮助他们与支持机构的高度活跃的研究科学家相匹配。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The NIH IMSD Graduate Fellows Program has had a dramatic impact on PhD-level training of Underrepresented Minorities (URM) at UMBC. Since its inception in 1997, URM participation in supported departments (biology, chemistry, biochemistry, chemical/mechanical engineering, human services psychology, and physics) has increased from 0%, 1%, 0%, 1%, 8%, and 0%, respectively, to 14%, 15%, 28%, 10%, 13%, and 7%, respectively. Expansion to the Graduate Program in Life Science (GPILS) at our sister campus, the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB), in 2007 triggered a dramatic 50% increase in URM GPILS enrollment at UMB over the past 4 years. IMSD enrollment has increased linearly since 1997, with 66 PhD students currently enrolled in the combined UMBC/UMB IMSD Program (47 African American, 13 Hispanic, 1 Native American, 1 Pacific Islander, 4 non-URM (1 Caucasian, 3 women of Middle Eastern descent)). Retention (91% in the current funding period) has reached an all-time high, and URM PhD production has increased dramatically, from 6 URM PhD degrees awarded over the 15 years preceding IMSD to 46 PhDs awarded to IMSD Fellows since our first IMSD Fellow graduated in 2001 (a 10 year period). Of the 46 graduates, 32 (70%) matriculated directly to Postdoctoral or Residency positions. Although nearly all of the quantitative objectives of the current support period have been met, significant challenges remain. In particular, although 10 of the 13 IMSD graduates that have completed postdoctoral training obtained research- related positions in government or industry, only 2 matriculated to full time faculty positions (both currently non- tenure track). Seven additional graduates who are fully employed hold adjunct, non-tenure track college faculty or teaching positions. Since URM colleagues in full time faculty positions are likely to have the broadest impact as mentors and role models, we clearly must do a better job of preparing our IMSD graduates for pressures that are negatively impacting their interest in the Academy. We must particularly address negative pressures related to recent NIH findings that URMs are less likely to successfully compete for NIH funding compared to equally-prepared Caucasian colleagues. We now propose modifications to our IMSD Fellows Program that will better prepare interested IMSD Fellows for academic careers - a major national need. Objectives include: (1) continued linear growth in IMSD enrollment while maintaining high retention rate, (2) increasing URM enrollment in departments where URM growth has lagged, (3) implementation of new inner city high school outreach components, to enhance the early pipeline, (4) implementation of new grantsmanship elements, to better prepare students and boost confidence, (5) establishment of one-on-one mentor partnerships with external URM faculty, to facilitate mentoring and support beyond the PhD Program, and (6) implementation of an inter-institutional IMSD speaker exchange program, to increase exposure of senior Fellows and help match them with highly active research scientists at supportive institutions.