Baylor College of Medicine Initiative for Maximizing Student Development - Summary The Baylor College of Medicine Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (BCM-IMSD) aims to enhance the training and increase the numbers and success of underrepresented (UR) scientists trained at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. BCM has made significant advances in educating UR scientists, having graduated more than 13 UR PhDs and MD/PhDs every year for the past 5- years. Since 1998, 165 under-represented students have received PhDs. Many BCM-IMSD alums have excellent records of achievement and productivity equivalent to non-UR trainees at BCM, positioning them for leadership roles in the biomedical research community. Of equal importance, 95% of IMSD-funded and 90% of all UR alums are currently active in a research-related field. The BCM UR and non-UR alums are becoming post-docs, residents, and fellows at research-intensive institutions and research-related industries. The overall goal is to maximize the development and productivity of every UR trainee using activities provided through the BCM-IMSD to enhance the generation of a top-notch and diverse STEM workforce across the United States. The IMSD UR students receiving local, national, and international awards have increased dramatically since 1998 to more than 300 awards, including national fellowships. Our alums are progressing in their careers in science or professions where they use their scientific training. We propose to continue recruiting, retaining, and graduating UR scientists trained at BCM to diversify the biomedical workforce by focusing their minds on innovative approaches and experiences to build knowledge to decrease morbidity and mortality and improve the health of our diverse national population. We will enhance UR graduate education by supporting students' technical, operational and professional skills development to work at state-of-the-art research laboratories and core facilities at BCM. We will use evidence-informed educational and mentoring practices to build an inclusive, safe and supportive research environment, provide community building, and recruit faculty trained in culturally aware mentoring, Entering Mentoring (and Entering Research for students) established by the National Mentoring Research Network. The BCM-IMSD activities that will increase retention and decrease time to a degree include: building a supportive community, tutoring, academic success workshops, faculty and peer- to-peer mentoring, writing workshops, scientific conference participation, support for fellowship writing and grantsmanship, acquiring teamwork skills through team-based science series developed at BCM, and innovative educational experiences to support the development and career management for student success.
