The overarching goal of this SEPA R25 project is to increase rural student interest in pursuing a career in
the health care professions, and in so doing help address the higher morbidity and mortality in rural
communities associated with the shortage of health care professionals. To accomplish this we will
develop and implement a transformative educational program for rural 9th-12th grade students, Building
Rural Aspirations In Neuroscience with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (BRAIN-
STEM) that will use research-based strategies to address the key modifiable barriers that limit rural
student interest in and the ability to succeed in health care careers. Namely, BRAIN-STEM will (1)
Improve academic, research, and metacognitive skills important in succeeding in the STEM subjects
relevant to health care profession training, and thereby increase students’ perceived self-efficacy in
pursuing these careers, (2) provide role models and mentors for students, and (3) ignite high school
student interest in the health care professions. These aims will be accomplished through 5-day summer
camps and afterschool programs. The summer camp is designed to spark student interest in the health care
professions and introduce academic, research and metacognitive skills development. These topics will be
covered in more depth during the afterschool program. Both the summer camp and afterschool program
curricula will include a combination of established (e.g., inquiry-based learning) and innovative (e.g.,
metacognitive skill development) pedagogical techniques that will conform to the NGSS standards.
Importantly, the BRAIN-STEM curriculum will be developed in close collaboration with our teacher
partners. BRAIN-STEM participants will work extensively with Clarkson Faculty and near-peer students,
who will serve as mentors and role models. These mentors and role models along with our teacher
partners will be trained in professional development workshops that will enable them to guide students
through the research process; develop academic, research and metacognitive skills; teach the process of
evidence-based medicine; and provide encouragement to pursue healthcare-related careers. To ignite
student interest in the health care professions BRAIN-STEM will have students work on two brain-related
clinical problems that are personally relevant, important, and have local significance: addiction and
concussion. Finally, all curriculum and best practices will be broadly disseminated through a state-of the
art web application, open-source lesson plans, journal publications, conference presentations, and a broad
range of other delivery mechanisms (subsequent camps, academic year enrichment class, and integrated
into other outreach programs). BRAIN-STEM will accomplish all of this by leveraging Clarkson
University’s faculty expertise and strong partnerships with surrounding school districts and health care
professionals.
