Recruitment process that attracts underrepresented students in graduate science and medical education programs

ABSTRACT

While the population of minorities is increasing in the USA, the numbers obtaining advanced degrees in science/engineering and medicine are minimal. Underrepresented groups make up 19% of the USA labor pool, but less than 6% of science (engineering and medicine) Ph.D.’s. Diversifying the universities and health-care institutions is important to improve the academic experience of faculty, staff, students and everyone regardless of race. To prepare for the approaching diverse environments, educational institutions must create programs that allow underrepresented groups thrive in higher education; and logistically to be sustaining, the recruitment programs must begin at the student level. One approach is the integration of the history (the linking of past-heroes with present-heroes) of science; which is an interesting and important paradigm that can be implemented. As such, a day-long symposium highlighting the life and accomplishments of an African American Scientist; Dr. Ernest Everett Just, Ph.D., is used as a working model to inspire, educate on admission requirements, and to recruit into graduate science and medical programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Biomedical workforce
• medical and science education
• underrepresented groups
• college
• k12

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Scott Little, Ph.D. former director of South Carolina Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research for funding and Drs’ Perry Halushka, MD., PhD. (former Dean of the College of Graduate Studies), Paula Traktman, Ph.D. (current Dean of the College of Graduate Studies) for advice and Joann Sullivan, Ph.D. (former Director of Office of Research Development) for assistance with student evaluations.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [R13 MD009666-01].