Bridge to the Doctoral Degree: University of Puerto Rico to University of Medicin

6.项目摘要/摘要 这项提议寻求更新博士学位的桥梁：UPR到UMDNJ，它一直在协助 未被充分代表的少数族裔(URM)研究生从生物学硕士项目过渡 在波多黎各大学马亚格兹分校(UPR-M)攻读分子博士课程 UMDNJ生物医学研究生院(GSBS)，Piscataway校区，联合提供 新泽西州立大学(RU)与罗格斯大学合作。UPR-M的生物学硕士课程有一名学生 主要是波多黎各人，但该计划不提供博士学位来为学生做好准备 从事生物医学科学领域的高级研究员工作。然而，UPR-M有很长的生产记录 其他机构的优秀博士候选人，包括UMDNJ-GSBS，Piscataway和RU。至 促进UPR-M硕士研究生的过渡，这一为期3年的方案由一个 当然是在UPR-M工作一年，然后是在UMDNJ工作和研究两年。学生 完成这一桥梁项目，获得UPR硕士学位，并以更高的地位被录取 进入UMDNJ-GSBS的博士项目，与现有的UMDNJ-罗格斯大学管道对接 计划(IMSD奖)，该计划支持URM博士候选人在最初几年的学习。现在在 第九年，我们已经招收了19名学生。在这些人中，3人完成了博士学位，9人 正在攻读硕士或博士学位。在9名继续学习的学生中，1名在UPR-M，8名在UPR-M UMDNJ，包括4名目前处于高级论文研究水平的学生和4名处于资格预审阶段的学生。 在该计划的8年中，有7名学生在头3年的学习中离开了该计划：其中1名学生在 在其他地方攻读博士学位，2人进入公关医学院，1人在UPR-M攻读硕士学位，2人是技术人员 一位是科学家，一位是寻求科学就业。没有一个人离开了生物医学科学。我们将继续 修改计划以处理招聘和选择合适学生的问题，准备工作如下 UPR-M，从UPR-M向UMDNJ过渡期间的适应，以及UMDNJ的方案灵活性。基座 在UMDNJ的第一次研究经验先于M.S.的桥牌学生的成功率增加。 在UPR-M的课程工作中，我们建议在UMDNJ以及个人进行初步的夏季研究 研究了UPR-M方案的组成部分。该计划继续增加以下项目的机会 UPR-M有才华的波多黎各学生，并增加URM博士项目的学生数量 UMDNJ和罗格斯大学，从而扩大了学生进入生物医学研究职业生涯的范围 博士水平，并为UMDNJ和RU的URM学生创造更好的培养环境。7.项目叙事 在生物医学科学领域，全国缺乏代表不足的少数族裔科学家，这是 NIGMS More办公室博士项目的桥梁旨在通过支持少数族裔来解决 来自少数族裔学校的硕士候选人将在合作大学获得博士候选人资格。这 一项提案允许波多黎各大学马亚格兹校区生物学硕士研究生入学 进入新泽西医学和牙科大学分子生物科学的博士项目- 比斯卡特韦校区生物医学研究生院。这项计划和其他类似计划应该 增加美国生物医学科学劳动力的多样性。一个更多元化的群体 美国的博士级别的科学家应该为未来更多样化的受训者提供榜样，并且应该 促进对少数群体社区特别关注的健康问题的研究。

6. Project Summary/Abstract This proposal seeks to renew the Bridge to the Doctoral Degree: UPR to UMDNJ, which has been assisting underrepresented minority (URM) graduate students in making the transition from the M.S. Program in Biology at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayag¿ez Campus (UPR-M) into the Ph.D. Programs in the Molecular Biosciences at UMDNJ-Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), Piscataway Campus, offered jointly with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (RU). The M.S. in Biology Program at UPR-M has a student population that is predominantly Puerto Rican, but the Program does not offer a Ph.D. to prepare students for careers as senior investigators in the biomedical sciences. However, UPR-M has a long record of producing excellent candidates for the Ph.D. at other institutions, including at UMDNJ-GSBS, Piscataway, and RU. To facilitate the transition of M.S. candidates at UPR-M, this 3-year Program was established, consisting of one year of course work at UPR-M, followed by 2 years of course work and research at UMDNJ. Students completing this Bridge program receive the M.S. degree from UPR and are admitted with advanced standing into the Ph.D. programs at UMDNJ-GSBS, interfacing with the existing UMDNJ-Rutgers University Pipeline Program (IMSD Award), which supports URM candidates for the Ph.D. in their initial years of study. Now in the 9th year, we have enrolled 19 students in the program. Of these, 3 have completed the Ph.D., and 9 are progressing toward the M.S. or Ph.D. degrees. Among the 9 continuing students, 1 is at UPR-M and 8 are at UMDNJ, including 4 now at an advanced level of thesis research and 4 at the pre-qualifying exam phase. During the 8 years of the program, 7 students left the program during their first 3 years of study: 1 of these is in a Ph.D. program elsewhere, 2 entered medical school in PR, 1 is pursuing the M.S. at UPR-M, 2 are technical scientists and one is seeking scientific employment. None have left the biomedical sciences. We continue to modify the program to deal with issues of recruitment and selection of appropriate students, preparation at UPR-M, acclimatization during the transfer from UPR-M to UMDNJ, and program flexibility at UMDNJ. Based on the increased success rate of bridge students whose first research experience at UMDNJ preceded M.S. coursework at UPR-M, we propose to make an initial summer of research at UMDNJ as well as individual research at UPR-M integral parts of the program. This program continues to increase opportunities for talented Puerto Rican students at UPR-M, and to increase the number of URM students in the Ph.D. program of UMDNJ and Rutgers, thereby expanding the range of students entering biomedical research careers at the Ph.D. level, and creating a more nurturing environment for URM students at UMDNJ and RU. 7. Project Narrative There is a national shortage of underrepresented minority scientists in the biomedical sciences, which the Bridges to the Doctorate Program of the MORE Office of NIGMS was designed to address by enabling minority M.S. candidates from minority-serving schools to progress to Ph.D. candidacy at partner universities. This proposal enables M.S. candidates in Biology at University of Puerto Rico-Mayag¿ez Campus to matriculate into the Ph.D. programs in the Molecular Biosciences at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Piscataway Campus. This and other such programs should increase the diversity of the biomedical science workforce in the United States. A more diverse group of Ph.D.-level scientists in the U.S. should provide role models for more diverse trainees in the future, and should promote research into health issues of particular concern to minority communities.