Post-Baccalaureate Research and Education Program (PREP) for Oklahoma - Oklahoma suffers from substantial health disparities, and is ranked in the bottom 5 states in numerous categories related to overall health and education. One solution to this problem is to increase the population's scientific literacy, which will improve how individuals approach life choices involving health consequences. Oklahoma has 28 undergraduate institutions that offer 4-year degrees. Although readily accessible, the number of citizens who earn a Bachelor's degree (25.2%) is low compared to the United States average (31.5%). One way to address this is to train a more diverse cohort of scientists who can advocate for science in all communities. Importantly, many of the PhD recipients in Oklahoma elect to stay in the state for their careers, often assuming teaching positions in the numerous undergraduate institutions. One impediment to increasing both numbers and diversity in Oklahoma's doctoral programs is a lack of undergraduate biomedical research opportunities in its colleges and universities. Research experience has become the single most important criterion for admission into doctoral programs at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC), which offers one of the only biomedical doctoral programs in the state. For the past 5 years, these biomedical doctoral programs have admitted 24 students per year, primarily through the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (GPiBS), the first-year umbrella program that serves the 7 basic science degree-granting programs. Since inception, only 8% of GPiBS admits have identified themselves as part of an under-represented group. More recently, this has greatly improved, and URM numbers are approaching the 25% represented across the state. The Post- Baccalaureate Research and Education Program (PREP), which will recruit students from primarily underrepresented groups from regional colleges and universities, will help build on this success. The PREP will be a one-year, research-intensive program at OUHSC. The curriculum will include formal courses on experimental design and biostatistics, animal care and use, research methods, a combination lecture/journal club course, and career development workshops. Training in the responsible conduct of research and in data analysis and reproducibility will also be emphasized. Most of the students' time will be devoted to mentored research in labs that are currently funded extramurally. Students will conduct two lab rotations, followed by a 9- month experience in a selected lab. Students will have committees that monitor their progress, and will be prepared for the graduate application and interview process. Students will be recruited directly into the PREP through in-person visits to regional colleges and universities, through social media and websites, and through the GPiBS application and interview process.
