Virginia Union University MARC U*STAR Program

描述(由申请人提供)：Vuu Marc U*STAR计划的目标是增加准备充分的少数族裔学生的数量，这些学生成功地竞争进入研究生课程，获得生物医学博士或医学博士/博士学位，并从事生物医学研究。为了实现这一目标，该计划为未来五年设定了以下可量化的目标：(1)提高被参与系(数学、自然科学和心理学)录取的学生的质量；(2)与目前的水平相比，参与系符合MARC资格的学生人数增加50%；(3)在未来五年内，每年增加3名MARC毕业生进入生物医学博士学位项目。 我们建议通过一项全面的学术和研究培训计划来实现这些目标，该计划包括：(1)积极招募高素质的学生加入该计划；(2)及早识别有兴趣的和致力于生物医学研究的学生；(3)提高把关课程的学术成就的辅导和补充指导计划；(4)在附近研究密集型大学的学年校外研究经验，以及校外暑期研究实习；(5)关于研究生院生存技能和职业探索的研讨会；(6)出席ABRCMS和全国科学学会会议并发表演讲；以及(7)GRE准备的正式课程。在为期五年的奖励中，每年总共要求10名受训人员。 该计划的成功将从数量和质量两个方面进行衡量。从数量上讲，将为所有学生收集和维护一个广泛的数据库，其中包括学术表现、研究生产率、GRE表现、研究生院申请、进入博士项目的入学情况以及职业道路，从被该项目录取到他们随后的职业生涯。通过向受训者、教师和研究导师以及指导和咨询委员会发放详细的年度问卷，以及通过外部评估者的定期访谈，将获得对计划有效性的定性衡量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of the VUU MARC U*STAR program is to increase the number of well prepared minority students who compete successfully for admission into graduate programs leading to the Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences, and pursue careers in biomedical research. To accomplish this, the program has set the following quantifiable objectives for the next five years: (1) to raise the quality of students admitted into the participating departments (Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Psychology); (2) to increase by 50%, relative to the current level, the pool of MARC-eligible students in the participating departments; and (3) to increase by 3 each year, over the next five years, the number of MARC graduates enrolled in Ph.D. degree programs in the biomedical sciences. We propose to achieve these objectives through a comprehensive academic and research training program that includes (1) an aggressive recruitment of high caliber students to the program; (2) early identification and immersion of interested and committed students into biomedical research; (3) tutorial and Supplemental Instructions programs for enhanced academic achievement in gatekeeper courses; (4) academic year extramural research experiences at the nearby research-intensive universities, and extramural summer research intemships; (5) workshops on graduate school survival skills and career explorations; (6) attendance and presentations at both the ABRCMS and the national scientific society meetings; and (7) a formal course in GRE preparation. A total of 10 trainees are requested for each year of the five-year award. The success of the program will be measured both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitatively, an extensive database of information on academic performance, research productivity, GRE performance, graduate school applications, matriculation into Ph.D. programs, and career paths will be collected and maintained for all students from the time of acceptance into the program to their subsequent professional career. Qualitative measures of program effectiveness will be obtained by detailed annual questionnaires administered to the trainees, the faculty and research mentors, and the Steering and Advisory committees, as well as through periodic interviews by the external evaluator.