Bridges to the Doctorate: A Partnership Between Towson University and University of Maryland School of Medicine

代表不足的少数族裔(URM)是美国增长最快的人口，但只占一小部分 占生物医学研究劳动力的百分比。这种脱节在生物医学毕业生中尤为严重。 在过去十年里，URM学生仅占博士学位的7%。此外， 与非URM学生相比，URM学生在攻读博士学位的过程中完成硕士学位(MS)的人数明显更多。 确定URM MS项目作为一个重要的人才库，从中招聘少数族裔博士生。一致 有了这些全国性的趋势，汤森大学(TU)和马里兰大学学院的自我评估 医学博士(UMSOM)，该学院授予硕士和博士学位的合作机构(B2D) 该计划显示，在TU攻读博士学位的论文硕士学生中，只有17%是URM，而且 尽管UMSOM博士课程的少数民族入学人数有所增加，但入学人数一直保持在13% 申请。这些数据突显了培训的必要性，这将使URM学生为竞争做好准备 进入顶级博士项目，并成功从MS过渡到博士项目，以完成 博士学位。朝着这一目标，TU-UMSOM B2D将整合强大的TU MS计划和丰富的研究 UMSOM的资源，在重点关注少数群体的创新培训课程中开展针对B2D的具体活动 以及由四个组成部分组成的指导。1)理工大与理工学院合作开展硕士论文研究 利用UMSOM的跨学科课程和尖端技术为B2D学者提供博士水平 课堂和实验室经验。2)与研究相关的基本技能，如书面和口头科学 交流是在研讨会、研讨会和专家会议上学者的研究报告中发展起来的 开会。3)通过活动对进入博士项目的学术进步的各个方面提供指导 包括GRE培训和模拟面试。TU和UMSOM教职员工委员会在 编制个人发展计划，以监测实现里程碑和职业目标的进展情况。4)磁盘备份 学者们与B2D Partner和B2D Partner的URM培训项目的学员密切互动 附属机构。研究论坛和专业发展工作坊的特点是讨论 由URM教员领导的劳动力多样性和医疗保健差距。近距离同行指导和URM角色模型 在这一独特的培训渠道中，B2D学者提供了以少数族裔为重点的职业道路视角 在生物医学行业。TU和UMSOM校区的邻近促进了 广泛的联合培训活动。B2D学者将从强大的地方和国家积极招募 通过互联网、社交媒体、邮件和面对面提供URM培训计划和本科院校 接近了。B2D学者从硕士到博士课程的专业发展和 Beyond将被作为衡量项目成功的重要指标进行跟踪。B2D的所有方面都将受到严格的 通过内部和外部评审进行评估。因此，B2D培训将增强生物医学劳动力的多样性。

Underrepresented minorities (URM) are the fastest growing populations in the US but make up only a small percentage of the biomedical research workforce. This disconnect is particularly acute in biomedical graduate programs where URM students accounted for just 7% of PhD degrees over the past decade. Furthermore, significantly more URM students complete a master’s degree (MS) en route to their doctorate than non-URMs, identifying URM MS programs as an important pool from which to recruit minority PhD candidates. Consistent with these national trends, self assessments at Towson University (TU) and the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), the MS- and PhD-granting partner institutions in this Bridges to the Doctorate (B2D) program, revealed that just 17% of thesis-MS students at TU who advanced to PhD programs are URMs, and that minority enrollment in UMSOM PhD programs has been constant at 13% despite increases in URM applications. These data highlight the need for training that will prepare URM students to compete for admission into top doctoral programs, and succeed in transitioning from MS to PhD programs to complete the doctorate. Towards this goal, the TU-UMSOM B2D will integrate the strong TU MS program and rich research resources at the UMSOM with B2D-specific activities in an innovative curriculum of minority-focused training and mentoring that is organized into four components. 1) MS thesis research is conducted at TU in conjunction with interdisciplinary courses and cutting edge technologies at UMSOM to provide B2D scholars with PhD-level classroom and laboratory experience. 2) Essential research-related skills such as written and oral scientific communication are developed in workshops, seminars and scholars’ research presentations at professional meetings. 3) Guidance in all facets of academic advancement into PhD programs is provided through activities including GRE training and mock interviews. TU and UMSOM faculty committees mentor scholars in the preparation of individual development plans to monitor progress towards milestones and career goals. 4) B2D scholars closely interact with trainees in a robust pipeline of URM training programs at B2D partner and affiliated institutions. Research forums and professional development workshops feature discussions on workforce diversity and healthcare disparities led by URM faculty. Near-peer mentoring and URM role models in this unique training pipeline provide B2D scholars with a minority-focused perspective of the path to a career in the biomedical profession. The proximity of TU and UMSOM campuses facilitates implementation of the broad array of joint training activities. B2D scholars will be actively recruited from strong local and national URM training programs and undergraduate institutions through internet, social media, mail and in person approaches. The professional development of B2D scholars as they progress from MS to PhD programs and beyond will be tracked as an important metric of program success. All aspects of the B2D will be critically evaluated by internal and external review. B2D training will thus enhance diversity in the biomedical workforce.