High School Program in Biomedical and Health Sciences

描述（由申请人提供）：对科学家的需求超过了对科学相关学科的教育或职业感兴趣的人数。虽然少数族裔对科学的兴趣与白人相当或超过白人，但有色人种和来自弱势背景的个人在高等教育，特别是科学教育中的代表性不足。为高中青少年提供接触科学环境的机会和科学家导师的鼓励是培养对科学教育的热情和持续追求的关键因素。这样的机会对于促进有色人种青年对科学的兴趣尤为重要。NIDDK弱势群体短期教育计划（STEP-UP）的目标是增加致力于科学事业的青年人数，特别是在NIDDK相关的任务领域。优先招收和接受对科学感兴趣的学生，这些学生来自生物医学和健康科学领域较少代表的群体，包括有色人种学生、社会经济背景较低的学生和残疾学生。自2007年以来，由Bonnie Halpern-Felsher博士担任PI/项目协调员的加州大学旧金山分校一直是高中升学项目的三个协调地点之一。我们正在申请继续并扩大我们对高中升学项目的协调，特别是成为从美国48个州招收学生的协调机构之一。STEP-UP和我们的协调机构的具体目标是：1)招募并留住25名在生物医学科学领域代表性较低的11年级和12年级高中学生，包括来自代表性不足的种族和族裔群体的个人，来自弱势背景的个人和残疾人的个人。2)为这些学生提供一个为期10-12周的项目，提供指导，实践科学研究的机会，以及接触niddk任务区域的机会。3)帮助那些教育选择可能更有限的年轻人提高大学录取成功率。4)通过正式培训和教学指导经验，为所有导师（包括研究生和医学院学生、博士后和教师）提供指导青少年的培训，从而形成一支训练有素的导师队伍，鼓励青少年进入科学领域。为代表性不足的青年群体提供进入科学管道的机会，不仅会增加来自不同背景的青年进入生物医学和卫生科学的人数，而且会增加不同科学家和卫生保健专业人员的人数。“加强”强调伙伴关系，注重学术准备，因此在创造成功条件方面发挥了重要作用，并成为解决科学和卫生专业人员代表性不足这一复杂问题的关键。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The demand for scientists outweighs the number of people interested in pursuing education or careers in science-related disciplines. While minority interest in science matches or exceeds that of whites, individuals of color and from disadvantaged backgrounds are underrepresented in higher education, and in particular science education. Providing high school adolescents with opportunities for exposure to scientific environments and encouragement from scientist mentors are key factors in developing a passion for and sustained pursuit of education in the sciences. Such opportunities are especially critical in promoting science interest among youth of color. The goal of the NIDDK Short-Term Education Program for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) is to increase the number of youth who are committed to and well-positioned for careers in the sciences, especially in the NIDDK-related mission areas. Priority is given to recruiting and accepting students with interest in science from populations less represented in the biomedical and health sciences, including students of color, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and disabled students. Since 2007, the University of California, San Francisco, with Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher as the PI/Program coordinator, has been one of three coordinating sites for the high school STEP-UP program. We are applying to continue and expand our coordination of the high school STEP-UP program, and specifically to be one of the coordinating institutions to recruit students from the 48 contiguous United States. The specific aims of STEP-UP and our coordinating institution are to: 1) Recruit and retain 25 11th and 12th grade high school students less represented in the biomedical sciences, including individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities. 2) Provide these students with a 10-12 week program that offers mentoring, opportunities for hands-on exposure to scientific research, and exposure to NIDDK-mission areas. 3) Help improve applications for successful college admission among youth who might otherwise have more limited educational choices. 4) Provide all mentors, including graduate and medical students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty, with training in mentoring adolescents through formal training and didactic mentoring experiences, thus resulting in a cadre of mentors well trained to encourage adolescents to enter the sciences. Providing opportunities for underrepresented groups of youth to enter the science pipeline will not only increase the number of youth from diverse backgrounds entering biomedical and health sciences, but will increase the number of diverse scientists and health care professions. STEP-UP emphasizes partnerships and focuses on academic preparation, thereby playing a large role in creating the conditions for success and becoming crucial for solving the complex problem of underrepresentation in the science and health professions.