MBRS IMSD Program at the University of California Irvine

描述（由申请人提供）：加州大学欧文分校（UCI）的MBRS-IMSD计划始于1996年，是一项全面的努力，旨在增加未被充分代表的少数民族（URM）本科生和研究生从事生物医学研究的人数。在上一个资助周期（2004-07），该项目提高了本科生毕业后进入博士课程的比例，以及URM学生在UCI完成博士课程的人数。在教师导师的指导下进行的独立有偿研究是诱导MBRS学生追求研究生院和以研究为重点的职业的核心要素。100多名拥有资助研究项目的教师担任MBRS学员的导师。该计划提供了一系列的组成部分，以增加本科生（从大一到大四）进入生物医学科学博士课程的兴趣，动机和学术准备，包括科学课程的同伴辅导/指导计划，研讨会系列，实验室方法研讨会，科学交流，GRE准备和研究生申请。该计划的研究生部分旨在为URM博士学生提供全面的培训，以便在研究生院脱颖而出。该计划为即将入学的URM博士学生提供暑期研究培训，为他们的核心研究生课程做准备；一个关于校外资助的研讨会，关于非专业环境下研究生学习的咨询和指导；一个为博士课程第一年之后的口试做准备的研讨会，以及为进入候选人和论文研究做准备的研讨会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The MBRS-IMSD Program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) started in 1996 as a comprehensive effort to increase the number of underrepresented minority (URM) undergraduate and graduate students pursuing biomedical research careers. During the last funding cycle (2004-07), the program has increased the rate at which undergraduate participants enter PhD programs following graduation and the number of URM students completing PhD programs at UCI. Independent paid research conducted under the direction of faculty mentors serves as a core element to induce MBRS students to pursue graduate school and research-focused careers. Over 100 faculty with funded research programs serve as preceptors of MBRS trainees. The program offers a series of components to increase the interest, motivation and academic preparedness of undergraduates (freshmen to seniors) to enter PhD programs in biomedical sciences, including a peer tutoring/mentoring program of science classes, a seminar series, workshops on laboratory methods, scientific communications, GRE preparation and application to graduate school. The graduate component of the program is designed to provide a comprehensive training for URM Ph.D. students to excel in graduate school. The program provides summer research training for incoming URM PhD students to prepare them for the core graduate classes, a workshop on extramural funding, counseling and orientation about the graduate studies in a non-departmental setting, a workshop to prepare oral exams after the first year in the PhD program and preparation for advancement to candidacy and dissertation research. Public Health Relevance: The inclusion of underrepresented minorities in the biomedical scientific workforce is critical to address the need of improving the health of the people of the United States and eliminating health disparities in the nation. This project will improve the quality and quantity of undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups being trained as the next generation of biomedical research scientists.