|
Report of the NIGMS Workshop on Achieving Scientific Excellence through
Diversity
May 6-7, 2001
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Workshop
on Achieving Scientific Excellence through Diversity was held in Bethesda,
MD, on May 6-7, 2001. The workshop was convened to provide a forum to
exchange information and explore strategies for improved recruitment and
retention of underrepresented minority (URM) students in biomedical research
training programs, and in research careers. An additional goal was to
address perceived problems and frustrations with minority recruitment
and retention, dispel myths, and motivate participants to try new ideas
and approaches.
Over 170 participants, including training grant program directors and
administrators from 68 of the 74 institutions receiving NIGMS predoctoral
training grant support, were in attendance. Other participants included
minority students; representatives from minority-serving institutions,
the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), and the Sloan Foundation;
and staff of NIGMS and the National Institutes
of Health (NIH). The agenda and details of the workshop can be found
at http://www.nigms.nih.gov/news/reports/diversity.
Following is a summary of recurrent themes, successful strategies, and
suggestions for future efforts.
Recurrent Themes:
- The Student Pool and the Pipeline. A major focus of
discussion was whether there is an untapped pool of minority students,
where the pool is located, how the pool can be expanded, and where in
the pipeline URM students are losing interest in science and research
careers. Data show that a large population of minority students who
enter undergraduate programs lose interest in science in the freshman
year. Expanding the pool of potential graduate students is dependent
upon building self confidence and academic skills in the freshman year.
Students who successfully make the freshman-sophomore transition are
likely to stay in science. Furthermore, minority students who graduate
with baccalaureate degrees in science are as likely to stay in science
as majority students. Demographics also show that 70 percent of minority
students are located in majority institutions--including research intensive
schools--rather than in predominantly minority-serving institutions
where many graduate programs focus their recruitment efforts. Graduate
programs should refine their recruitment strategies to take full advantage
of the presence of the pool of URM students at majority and research
intensive institutions. The pipeline leaks at several places: the freshman-sophomore
transition, baccalaureate graduates who choose a medical profession
over a research career, and the transitions from Ph.D. to postdoctoral
fellow and postdoctoral fellow to faculty. Biomedical scientists have
the responsibility to convey the excitement and opportunities that a
research career offers, and to convey the importance and relevance of
research to society in improving quality of life and reducing health
disparities. The continuing dearth of minority faculty is a major problem
that must be addressed.
- Student Recruitment and Retention. These two issues
are inseparable. In the words of one speaker, "the magnitude of the
recruitment effort must be matched by the magnitude of the retention
effort." Aggressive recruitment and flexible admission criteria work
if the program provides the necessary support and tools to enable students
to succeed. There was much discussion of "risk taking" in student admissions
and defining "at risk" students. It was emphasized that minority students
should not be assumed to be "at risk." There are many excellent minority
students who are well prepared for doctoral studies; others may need
extra advising, mentoring, and/or academic support to make the transition
to graduate school. In the past, students were defined as "at risk"
based on the use of GRE scores and numerical credentials as predictors
for success; however, many programs and mentors now realize that, regardless
of whether a student is majority or minority, other indicators (research
experience, commitment, letters of recommendation, and interviews) may
be more valuable measures and predictors of a student's potential to
succeed. In fact, labeling students as "at risk", based on paper credentials
rather than ability, can create an added obstacle to success by lowering
expectations. Faculty are more willing to take "risks" in accepting
students with lower numerical credentials as they witness the success
of such students.
- Expecting and Achieving Excellence. A number of presenters
emphasized that the ultimate goal of training programs is to produce
excellent scientists and critical thinkers, and that goal must never
be forgotten. Having high expectations and demanding excellence is crucial
to student development--whether minority or majority--at all stages
of training.
- Minority and Majority Students. An important message
was that both minority and majority students have strengths and weaknesses.
Strategies that improve the recruitment of minority students also can
be used to improve recruitment of majority students. Defining student
strengths and weaknesses, establishing individual development plans,
mentoring, counseling, and support are all good practices that will
enhance graduate research training of all students.
Successful Strategies for Recruitment and Retention:
- Institutional Commitment. The importance of institutional
commitment and institutionalizing recruitment and retention efforts
was the focus of the first panel. Examples were provided of both top-down
and bottom-up approaches. Central allocation of resources and support
to faculty and programs, and a strong philosophical commitment to the
importance of achieving diversity can be crucial in achieving successful
recruitment and retention of minority students. This commitment can
provide the seed for obtaining additional support from the NIH, other
government agencies, and private foundations. It also is critical for
coordinating efforts between the institution's different graduate programs
and for establishing partnerships with other institutions.
- Partnerships. Partnerships between research-intensive
universities, minority-serving institutions, graduate and undergraduate
programs, and K-12 institutions are a powerful approach to expanding
the pool, recruiting students, and providing research experiences for
minority students and faculty.
- Faculty Involvement. Faculty who are passionate about
science, committed to student success, and willing to be personally
involved are crucial for the success of URM student recruitment and
retention efforts. It is important that multiple faculty members play
a visible role in student recruitment by training summer students in
their laboratories, visiting undergraduate campuses, and attending national
minority student research meetings. Scientists, rather than administrators,
are in the best position to convey the excitement and importance of
a research career. Faculty also play an essential role in mentoring
student development at all stages of training, and continuing this mentoring
role as students progress from graduate school to postdoctoral and faculty
positions. Institutions must encourage and facilitate faculty involvement,
and recognize and reward their efforts.
- Recruitment and admission practices. In addition to
establishing partnerships, summer undergraduate research programs are
an important recruitment tool. Attendance at minority research meetings,
such as the annual meeting of the Society
for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science and
the Annual Biomedical Research Conference
for Minority Students, can be productive, but it is important to
bring scientists--not just administrators--to these meetings and to
include multiple faculty members as well as current minority graduate
students. Visits by faculty and students to majority and minority undergraduate
campuses are effective, especially if arrangements are made in advance
to host minority students and work through research-oriented faculty
rather than pre-med advisors. Recruitment activities at the home campus
should be thoughtfully planned to make minority students feel welcome,
including contacts with minority students and faculty. Admissions criteria
should rely less on GRE scores and more on research experience and commitment,
recommendations, and interviews.
- Retention practices. A number of strategies were described
that have led to substantial improvements in the retention of minority
students. Post-baccalaureate and summer preparatory programs can help
students be more confident of their choice of research career, provide
an opportunity to strengthen critical skills, and build self-confidence.
Individual development plans, where the student participates in identifying
strengths and deficiencies, are valuable. Flexible curricula, including
undergraduate courses, initial limits on the number of graduate courses,
and repetition of courses, can be used to overcome deficient backgrounds.
Careful mentoring and monitoring, and easy access to counseling and
support groups, are invaluable.
- Critical Skills. Skills considered crucial to the success
of all students include: communication skills in reading, writing, and
speaking clearly, critically and scientifically; computer skills; laboratory
skills; and attitudinal skills, such as asking for and accepting advice
and learning to work and study in groups.
- Model Programs. Highly successful programs at both the
undergraduate and graduate levels were described, including the Meyerhoff
Scholarship Program; the Initiative for Minority Student Development
(IMSD) programs at Baylor College of Medicine and Mayo Graduate School;
and programs at the University of California, Irvine, Louisiana State
and Wayne State. Some participants felt that the most successful programs,
such as the Meyerhoff Program, should be "cloned" and that NIH should
concentrate its resources in a few such programs. Others believed that
it is more important for a variety of successful models to become generalized,
and for these programs to provide the seed for a national network of
effective undergraduate education, and graduate recruitment and retention.
Future Directions:
Dr. David Burgess emphasized in his concluding
address that we all have to do better in recruiting and retaining
minority research scientists. He summarized future directions that emerged
from the workshop discussions by addressing two questions:
- What can the research training community do to improve the representation
of minorities?
Institutions should emulate successful programs, train increasingly
large cohorts of students, create a supportive environment, value excellence,
involve individuals, and institutionalize change. The leak in the pipeline
to faculty and science leadership positions must be addressed immediately.
- What can NIH and NIGMS do?
NIH and NIGMS should change the Minority Supplement to Research Grants
Program to make it more flexible and focused on undergraduate students.
Mechanisms should be developed to invest in mentors and individual leaders,
and create programs for minority faculty development.
back to top
Although minorities constitute an increasingly large fraction of the
general population, they continue to be seriously underrepresented in
the biomedical sciences. To address this imbalance, NIH requires that
institutional training grants recruit URM students into their graduate
programs. Despite this requirement, results have been disappointing. Many
training program directors are concerned that, although they mount considerable
efforts, they are competing with each other for what is perceived to be
a limited pool of students. Furthermore, the retention of minority students
in graduate programs needs to be improved. NIGMS, which supports almost
half of NIH's predoctoral training grants, is committed to working with
its grantees to increase the representation and success of URM students
in graduate training programs. Therefore, the Institute hosted a workshop,
"Achieving Scientific Excellence through Diversity," and invited program
directors, administrators, and minority graduate students from over 70
academic institutions to exchange ideas and explore strategies for improving
the recruitment and retention of URM students in graduate programs, and
in biomedical research.
Dr. Ruth L. Kirschstein, acting NIH director and former director of NIGMS,
set the stage for the workshop by reviewing the longstanding commitment
of NIGMS and NIH to training future scientists and to fostering the inclusion
of minority individuals in research careers. She noted that the new National
Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, along with other NIH
Institutes and Centers, are working hard to increase NIH's efforts to
reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities among diverse racial
and ethnic groups, and to attract more URM students to careers in research
and medicine. Dr. Kirschstein acknowledged that, despite the creation
and support of a wide array of programs, progress in reaching full representation
of minority individuals in research and research training has been painfully
slow. She urged participants to return to their institutions with high
expectations and a renewed determination to create a community of scientists
that reflects the full talent of the nation.
back to top
Keynote Address
Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, President of University of Maryland, Baltimore
County (UMBC) and founder of the highly successful Meyerhoff Scholarship
Program, began by noting that the dearth of minority students entering
predoctoral graduate programs and choosing biomedical research careers
cannot be explained merely by a shortage of college students with an interest
in science. Rather, many interested minority students are lost to science
in their first year of college, and educators can make a difference in
encouraging students to succeed and choose research careers. Dr. Hrabowski
stated that over 70 percent of African American students are not in Historically
Black Colleges and Universities, where many graduate programs direct their
recruitment efforts--they are in majority universities across the country.
Dr. Hrabowski presented some startling statistics:
- At UMBC, where a third of the students are minorities, 90 percent
of minority students with an initial interest in science graduate with
a science major, whereas only half do so nationally.
- Ninety percent of minority science majors at UMBC graduate with a
3.0 or better grade point average, whereas only 25 percent achieve this
nationally.
- Sixty-seven percent of science majors at UMBC continue on to graduate
school, whereas only 15 percent do so nationally (with many others choosing
a medical school education).
Dr. Hrabowski described the key factors and strategies at UMBC that lead
to this remarkable success in educating undergraduate students for careers
in science and research. Faculty must expect minority students to achieve
"A's," and student self-confidence must be built in the first year through
solid academic success. Pragmatic approaches include: starting students
in a preparatory summer program prior to the beginning of the freshmen
year; insisting that students take entry level courses, even when eligible
for advanced placement; limiting the number of freshmen courses in math
and science to two each semester; requiring that science and math courses
be retaken if the student gets a grade of C or worse; encouraging individual
and group study habits; and providing enough financial support that students
can devote more time to study rather than to part-time jobs. Additional
strategies include tutoring for and by students, student-student counseling,
and individual mentoring by faculty members. Dr. Hrabowski emphasized
the importance of working with both students and their families, and understanding
the family pressures that influence career choices, such as medicine versus
research. Finally, early placement in a rewarding research setting, nurturing
the "fire in the belly" to do research, and maintaining close mentoring
throughout the students' college years--and beyond--are crucial for filling
the pipeline with qualified minority students interested in pursuing biomedical
research careers. A final note, and one that was repeated often during
the workshop, was that these strategies are important for all students,
not just minority students. High expectations, a sound academic education,
and strong mentoring and support are ingredients for the success of all
students, regardless of background.
back to top
Dr. Richard I. Morimoto, dean of the Graduate School at Northwestern
University, noted that many academicians feel frustrated in their efforts
to recruit and retain URM students in their graduate programs; however,
he emphasized we are all responsible for working together to increase
the number of minority biomedical scientists. He stated the goals of the
workshop were to spur participants to think creatively, share success
stories, acquire new ideas, initiate partnerships, and return to home
institutions to share lessons learned. He stressed the importance of engaging
students, faculty, and administrators at all levels in training minority
scientists.
Dr. Clifton A. Poodry, director of the Division
of Minority Opportunities in Research at NIGMS, followed with comments
on the term "best practices" for describing efforts to recruit and retain
minority students. He explained his dislike for the term in the context
of research and research training. Dr. Poodry stated that the term "best
practices" is inconsistent with our approach as scientists, wherein we
build on the knowledge of others rather than rest upon their "best practices."
Our goal in science is to do better, not to simply emulate the status
quo. We should accept no less in our training efforts. Dr. Poodry emphasized
that it takes intense commitment--"a fire in the belly"--to make progress
in science and he expects the same on the part of program directors and
administrators to recruit and train minority students.
back to top
Panel I. Importance of Institutional Commitment
Dr. Morimoto presented data (obtained from the National Science Foundation
(NSF) database WebCASPAR)
on the pool of undergraduate minority students in the graduate school
pipeline. The data demonstrate that there is a substantial undergraduate
pool of minority students at colleges and universities across the country
and in Puerto Rico, and that, despite these statistics, the number of
doctoral degrees in the sciences awarded to minorities has only increased
marginally since 1975. Dr. Morimoto identified undergraduate institutions
that have been successful in educating minority students who go on to
receive doctoral degrees, and suggested that this information be used
for individualized recruitment strategies and for establishing partnerships.
Targeted institutions for minority recruitment should include private
and state colleges and universities, research intensive institutions,
and historically minority institutions. As an example, Dr. Morimoto displayed
data on minority undergraduate students in the Chicago area, and showed
how Northwestern University could use that information to develop better
recruitment strategies. He concluded by emphasizing that there is an untapped
pool in undergraduate colleges and universities, and in the workforce.
Graduate programs need to tailor their outreach and recruitment strategies
to their institution, and nurture the pool of students by establishing
partnerships with a variety of institutions and providing academic year
and summer research opportunities.
The panelists then presented four perspectives on the roles of institutional
and individual commitment in training minority students at the undergraduate
and graduate levels.
back to top
Dr. Richard McGee, associate dean for student affairs at the Mayo Graduate
School, noted that Mayo faced major challenges when it began recruiting
URM students into its graduate school in 1991. The school lacked national
recognition, had no associated undergraduate school, the community of
Rochester was small and ethnically homogeneous, the faculty and staff
had little experience interacting with underrepresented groups, and minority
enrollment was close to zero. Dr. McGee described how the school developed
a strong centralized Office of Minority Affairs to coordinate recruitment
activities across Mayo's four professional schools, and how responsibility
for training and retaining students was delegated to the individual schools.
Dr. McGee described the most critical activities that led to the increasing
diversity of the graduate school. These included: attendance at national
minority student research conferences; partnerships with minority-serving
schools; developmental, non-degree programs at Mayo to bring minority
students to the campus; aggressive marketing; flexible curricula for all
students; faculty involvement; a clear philosophy of the value and importance
of diversity; and strong financial support. Specific programs that have
contributed to Mayo's success include: a summer undergraduate program
that is about 30 percent minority, two NIGMS-funded programs (the pre-baccalaureate
Initiative for Minority Student
Development (IMSD) and the Post-Baccalaureate
Research Education Program (PREP)), to attract and guide students
towards basic and clinical research careers, and an MD.-Ph.D. program
in partnership with the University of Puerto Rico.
Dr. McGee concluded by noting that despite the challenges the graduate
school faced in 1991, it now attracts approximately 15 percent URM students,
a high fraction of whom successfully complete the training program. In
addition, the faculty has become supportive of students' needs, and as
an added benefit, the graduate school has gained national visibility.
back to top
Dr. Luis Villarreal of the University of California, Irvine (UCI), began
his presentation noting the mission of the University of California system
states "UC alumni should be truly representative of the people of California."
Dr. Villareal pointed out that the current demographics of California
show that a majority of the population is no longer Caucasian; yet, most
minority students come from high schools that rank in the bottom SAT quintile.
Thus, especially in the sciences, there will likely be an increasing discrepancy
between the population and the representation of minority students in
undergraduate and graduate institutions. UCI sits at the center of this
demographic shift and is therefore ideally suited to serve as a model
for the state in its mission to mirror the state's demographics in its
graduates.
Dr. Villarreal traced the evolution of UCI's efforts and successes to
train URM students in the biological sciences to the 1980s, when the NIH
supported a program for high school science teachers. This program was
replaced by HHMI and NSF programs that have now expanded to a statewide
alliance of schools. An ongoing NIGMS-funded IMSD program at UCI provides
the foundation for continuing efforts to increase the number of minority
students in biomedical research. Dr. Villarreal emphasized that many of
the elements of the UCI program are similar to those described by Dr.
Hrabowski at UMBC. He noted that faculty involvement is crucial for mentoring
student development, but faculty are increasingly over-committed and burdened
by efforts for increasing diversity, making it essential to provide students
who are well-trained and can meaningfully contribute to the faculty member's
research program. Dr. Villarreal urged a multiplicity of approaches that
address both the academic and personal challenges of the students, including
family expectations for career choices. Courses in research writing and
scientific thinking, and honors activities, are essential for the main
objective, which is to produce researchers who are critical thinkers.
Students who have been trained in UCI's minority programs are among the
most successful science undergraduates at the school. A recurrent theme
was that majority and minority students share similar challenges, and
that the lessons learned benefit all students. Finally, continuous oversight
is critical. The UCI oversight committee includes some of the most prominent
scientists and administrators at the university. The success of the students
and the quality of the oversight faculty lend stature and credibility
to the activities, and generate faculty goodwill that is essential for
success. A dedicated, full-time scientist administrator who understands
the scientific process is crucial to this effort. Dr. Villarreal concluded
by pointing out that UCI's program to train minority students in the sciences
has evolved from a small minority grant and the dedication of a few individuals
to efforts that are now institutionalized.
back to top
Dr. Gayle R. Slaughter, director of special projects for the graduate
school at Baylor College of Medicine, noted that in 1994 minority recruitment
was minimal and no support network existed --the few students who were
recruited to Baylor were not succeeding. Efforts to improve minority recruitment
were sidetracked by the Hopwood ruling, which directed Texas schools to
ignore ethnicity in student recruitment. The Hopwood ruling also had a
negative impact on faculty who became fearful of lawsuits. This situation
was reversed when Baylor received an IMSD grant from NIGMS, which provided
resources and helped to validate faculty support for URM education. In
a short time, minority recruitment and retention improved dramatically.
The school and faculty have made a major investment in recruitment, facilitated
by the IMSD grant. The increasingly successful strategies include a summer
undergraduate program that is made up of 30 percent URM students and includes
a GRE prep course and other enrichment activities, attendance by faculty
members at research conferences for URM students, visits by faculty members
to campuses with significant minority enrollment, and campus interviews
for all URM Ph.D. applicants. Improvements to the application process,
overseen by a faculty committee with minority representation, include
electronic submissions that eliminate fees, and evaluation of applicants
with an emphasis on commitment to becoming a scientist, research experience,
letters of recommendation, and most recent grades in science courses (rather
than overall GPA). GRE scores are used selectively, mostly to identify
weaknesses rather than to predict success. An important element of this
program is an individual development plan that identifies, in the acceptance
letter, areas requiring strengthening. Training begins with a summer pre-matriculation
program that includes close monitoring by faculty mentors, research, workshops,
seminars, undergraduate courses to correct deficiencies, and activities
to improve English language skills and ability to read the scientific
literature. Enrichment and support activities continue during the academic
year, with an emphasis on faculty mentoring, flexible course plans, a
minority speaker seminar series, and fellowship application workshops.
Dr. Slaughter summarized by noting that not only have the number of enrolled
URM students increased dramatically in a relatively short period of time,
but the retention rate of the matriculated students has gone from 69 percent
to almost 100 percent, and student performance has improved in all areas.
The IMSD grant has been instrumental in increasing student diversity and
success, has empowered and validated the faculty investment in URM education,
and provided crucial resources for improving institutional efforts.
back to top
Dr. Michael F. Summers, HHMI investigator at UMBC, emphasized the perspective
of a scientist and mentor. He reviewed the success of the Meyerhoff Scholarship
Program at UMBC, reiterating that there is an untapped minority student
pool and an important role for research-active scientists in training
that pool. Since its inception 12 years ago, 234 Meyerhoff scholars--mostly
minority--have graduated, and more than half currently are enrolled in
graduate or medical school. Half of the Meyerhoff graduates majored in
biology, chemistry, and biochemistry, and 94 percent of those students
have gone on to graduate school. UMBC has become the top producer in the
U.S. of minority undergraduate biochemistry majors, including students
who are not Meyerhoff scholars, but who have benefited from the same environment
in what Dr. Summers called a "trickle-up" effect. He discussed his role
as a research mentor, noting that excellent students want to work in his
lab, and all he has to do is say "yes." These students, including 28 URM
undergraduates in his lab last summer, have published first author papers
and reviews, and many have entered graduate school where they are doing
well.
In 1996, with support from an IMSD grant from NIGMS, UMBC expanded its
Meyerhoff undergraduate program to a graduate program. Initially the program
had limited success in recruiting minority graduate students. When Dr.
Summers assumed leadership of the program, he implemented more aggressive
recruitment practices, including personal involvement of faculty. Dr.
Summers emphasized that active research faculty need extra institutional
support to take on this responsibility. Subsequently, the program has
increased from 2 URM students in 1996 to 21 enrolled in 2001 in biology,
chemistry, and engineering.
Dr. Summers reviewed what works and what doesn't, and what research faculty,
administrators, and the NIH can do to increase representation of minority
students in biomedical graduate programs. Faculty can request seed money
from their administration to reduce their teaching loads and enable them
to launch programs that will become self-supporting. Administrators can
identify well-funded, high profile research faculty and recruit them to
spearhead efforts to bring high-achieving high school students to campus.
The first year of college is crucial--if interested students succeed as
freshmen, they generally will remain in science. Dr. Summers noted that
research experiences are important, but it's expensive to support summer
students in the lab; the administration can help by returning overhead
funds to researchers to support these efforts.
Finally, Dr. Summers urged NIH to be flexible in its use of funds. He
suggested NIH "clone" successful programs across the country. Dr. Summers
pointed out that most students in the Meyerhoff program are from Baltimore
and other urban and rural areas throughout the state. These students represent
just a fraction of the pool that exists nationally. He suggested that
NIH provide a "quick fix" to its Minority Supplements to Research Grant
program by streamlining the process, removing the limit on undergraduate
students per research grant, and emphasizing the undergraduate pool as
the primary target for minority research supplements.
back to top
Panel I. Discussion
The size and quality of the student pool
Questions and Comments
Some members of the audience agreed that the undergraduate pool is large,
but believe it is comprised mostly of students defined as "at risk," with
poor academic backgrounds and/or GRE scores. How do you aggressively recruit
this pool, prepare the students to succeed, and convince graduate programs
to accept these students? Do you appoint these students to T32 training
grants and risk being penalized upon review for not placing your most
competitive students on the grant? If you don't support your URM students
on T32 training grants, will you be penalized for inadequate minority
recruitment and retention efforts?
Panel Responses
Drs. Summers and Villarreal reiterated that at the undergraduate level
there is a large pool of talented high school students who are interested
in science. The challenge is to design the freshman year so that these
students successfully make the freshman-sophomore transition, to ensure
a large pool of students in the graduate school pipeline who are well
trained and not "at risk." Drs. McGee and Slaughter stressed that in order
to succeed at the graduate level, you must build the self-confidence of
students with marginal academic backgrounds and provide the tools for
success. One promising approach is the use of post-baccalaureate programs,
such as the MARC-PREP program, to prepare students for graduate careers.
For students who have matriculated into a graduate program, individual
performance plans and careful mentoring should be used to address deficiencies.
It was emphasized again that there are many excellent minority students
who are not at risk, and it is insulting to them to make this assumption
when recruiting minority students. Furthermore, all students--minority
and majority--have weaknesses that must be identified. Success depends
not just on recruiting students, but on making sure students succeed once
they enter a program.
Drs. Villarreal and Morimoto, both experienced reviewers of NIGMS training
grants, added that review panels do not criticize training programs for
placing minority students with weaker academic credentials on training
grants if the program director is clear about the criteria for appointment
and the program goals. In fact, the requirement to recruit and train URM
students on training grants provides leverage for aggressive recruitment
and flexible admission policies.
Successful Model Programs
Questions and Comments
Members of the audience wondered whether the successful Meyerhoff program
should be "cloned" and whether the NIH should concentrate its resources
in a few such programs.
Panel Responses
While replicating the success of the Meyerhoff program would increase
the graduate student pool, Dr. Villarreal emphasized that there is no
single model for success. Many different approaches should be implemented,
and the strategies of successful model programs must be generalized across
the country.
Minority Faculty
Questions and Comments
Members of the audience emphasized that the numbers of minority faculty
in the biomedical sciences have barely changed in years, and we must do
a better job of moving graduate students into postdoctoral fellowships
and faculty positions.
Panel Responses
Dr. Slaughter responded that the solution is to produce well-trained students
with strong records of research and publication. Mentoring must include
placing students in competitive, productive postdoctoral positions and
maintaining contact for continuing career guidance. There also is a need
for federal support for the postdoctoral-faculty transition. Institutions
must be encouraged to hire minority faculty and to provide successful
role models for minority students. Research-intensive institutions should
establish partnerships with minority-serving institutions to enhance their
faculty's research capability, and hence, the training of research-oriented
students. Dr. Villarreal added that NIH study sections should give special
consideration to new faculty, including URM faculty, when reviewing research
grant applications. It is crucial that URM faculty successfully launch
and sustain their research programs.
back to top
Participants from 26 institutions presented posters describing their
institutions' most effective recruitment and retention strategies. Presenters
included T32 training grant program directors and directors of minority
programs at both research-intensive and minority-serving institutions.
The session provided an opportunity for workshop participants to exchange
information, discuss shared problems, and explore new partnerships.
back to top
Six breakout groups, each including two minority students, emphasized
different aspects of recruitment and retention of URM students.
back to top
Panel II. Recruitment and Retention Strategies
Report of Breakout Groups
A discussion leader from each breakout group constituted a panel that
reported back to the participants with an overview of the discussions.
The highlights are summarized below.
1. Expanding and Recruiting the Pool (Dr. Mark Muskavitch, presenter)
The importance of post-baccalaureate programs
Post-baccalaureate programs are excellent for undecided students who
need an opportunity to decide if they like research, and for strengthening
the academic backgrounds of students who may be considered "at risk"
for succeeding in graduate school. These programs can be beneficial for
both minority and majority students; institutions should extend post-baccalaureate
training to any student who would benefit from having an intense research
experience. However, it is a mistake to assume that most minority students
are "at risk," since many are well trained and prepared to enter graduate
school. It also is a mistake to assume that a post-baccalaureate research
experience alone can compensate for academic weakness.
Post-baccalaureate programs should:
- Allow variable pacing of students and entry into graduate school at
different stages.
- Foster critical thinking and eventual preparation for qualifying exams.
- Address the dichotomies of commitment versus preparedness for research.
- Be provided for those who want a formal program. Some students can
create their own post baccalaureate program and may be put off by a
formal program.
- Include strong faculty involvement.
- State clear expectations and whether subsequent admission to graduate
school is automatic or conditional.
Establishing reciprocal institutional alliances to expand the pool
and recruit students
Partnerships are beneficial for increasing the pool of qualified minority
students, for increasing opportunities, for sharing pedagogical tools
and curricula, for improving access to research and course opportunities,
and for improving recruitment and retention strategies. Successful partnerships
should involve all parties as equals from the start. Partners need to
"buy into" the long range goals and objectives of a program and understand
each other's strengths and constraints. Partnerships should include regular
meetings to assess whether goals are being met and to revise approaches.
Partnerships also require institutional support. Activities initiated
by departments or individual faculty may be well-motivated and have some
success, but generally are not as effective as those that involve institutional
involvement. The primary reasons for failure of partnerships were not
seeing the partners as equals, and not taking advantage of a partner's
strengths.
Key points to consider in establishing partnerships include:
- How do you choose your partner institution and decide who takes the
lead?
- How do you establish goals that will benefit both partners, especially
when the partners represent research-intensive versus minority-serving
institutions?
- Consultation between partners is needed to establish mutually-rewarding
goals.
- Faculty-faculty interactions are crucial in consultation, creation
of trust, advisory boards, and coordination of activities, including
those that go beyond teaching and research.
- Student-faculty interactions must take into account different expectations,
norms, and academic and social cultures at partner institutions.
2. Expanding and Recruiting the Pre- and Post-Baccalaureate Pool
(Dr. Gary Ostrander, presenter)
The untapped pool - where do you look and how do you encourage interest
in graduate research?
Discussion focused on whether the pool is limited, whether there is an
untapped pool, and how to expand and recruit the pool.
Major points were:
- The research community should do a better job of "selling" the Ph.D.
career, making it clear that there are jobs for successful Ph.D. graduates.
- Universities should be more flexible in the selection process, giving
more emphasis to research experience and recommendations, and not excluding
students based only on consideration of grades and GRE scores.
- There are untapped pools of students at research-intensive universities
and community colleges. An additional pool can be found among industry
employees, technicians, employees in health and science-related professions,
and career reentry candidates.
- Establishment of appropriate partnerships through bridging programs
can facilitate access to an additional pool of students.
Expanding the pre- and post-baccalaureate pool, including K-12
The importance of outreach efforts and establishing partnerships at the
elementary, middle, and high school levels was emphasized. Graduate and
undergraduate students can play a major role in organizing and conducting
these outreach activities. The group emphasized:
- Forging links with existing programs, such as the scouts, church groups,
and those sponsored by professional societies, in order to avoid "reinventing
the wheel."
- Engaging parents in outreach programs.
- The importance of one-time experiences (e.g. science fairs) as well
as continued mentoring activities for interesting students in science
education and careers.
- Lack of family support and funds for outreach efforts may limit student
participation. Transportation for K-12 students should be provided.
- Awareness and sensitivity to student needs and interests at various
levels. In elementary school, science fairs and other "one time" programs,
as well as monthly activities that encourage development of discovery
skills, may be appropriate. In middle school, links to social groups,
such as the scouts, may work best. In high school, students should be
introduced to the college arena and informed about admission requirements.
3. Selecting Students from the Pool (Dr. Roger Chalkley, presenter)
Indicators of success and deciding how much risk to take
The group focused on the predictors of success when selecting students,
and what can be done to ensure success once the students matriculate.
The key points were:
- GRE scores are not good predictors of success for minority or majority
students.
- Useful evaluation criteria and tools include communication skills,
research experience, letters of recommendation, and interviews to assess
motivation for research.
- Match recruitment and retention efforts. Faculty fear of failure when
taking recruitment risks can be minimized if the necessary student support
is provided--"the magnitude of the recruitment effort must be matched
by the magnitude of the retention effort."
- Some students, despite the best efforts, may not succeed. Identify
these students early rather than allowing them to languish in the program.
- Post-baccalaureate programs are valuable in helping students determine
whether graduate school and research is right for them.
The response of faculty and reviewers to taking risks:
- Determine the faculty's "comfort zone." Faculty members look for students
who are like themselves. To achieve diversity among trainees, enlist
the support of senior faculty; junior faculty may be less effective
in their ability to influence decisions.
- Reviewers and site visitors overemphasize GRE scores in evaluating
students. NIH should instruct reviewers to de-emphasize GRE scores as
predictors of success.
4. Recruitment and Retention (Dr. Robert Bloch, presenter)
Creating a supportive academic and cultural environment: the impact
on student recruitment and retention
The student perspectives were particularly valuable in this discussion.
A supportive environment benefits both minority and majority students.
For successful recruitment and retention:
- A positive tone must be set by the leadership, providing top-down
support and encouragement to involve faculty in recruitment and retention
efforts.
- Value the individual student's strengths, build self-esteem, and expect
success.
- Recruitment may require a change in the culture of admissions committees,
with less emphasis on credentials, such as GREs, and more emphasis on
other factors.
- Establish contact mechanisms early to "break the ice" and enable students
to be comfortable approaching and communicating with faculty and students.
- Problem solvers must be readily available to deal with academic and
personal problems, and to advocate for the student when problems arise.
- Faculty should be involved and "passionate" about mentoring students.
Where possible, it is important to have minority faculty as role models
and mentors.
- Mentoring should be provided at all levels and by multiple individuals,
including junior and senior faculty, other graduate students, postdoctoral
fellows, and administrators.
- Encourage overlapping support groups, including student study groups,
minority student groups, and journal clubs.
Developing critical skills for success in graduate school and beyond
It was emphasized that these skills should be developed by minority and
majority students.
- Communication skills: reading; writing; and speaking clearly, critically,
and scientifically.
- Computer skills: facility with statistical packages, word processing,
spread sheets, reference programs, database usage, and data mining.
- Laboratory skills: standard techniques, what to do and not to do in
the lab. The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory book, Lab Navigator,
was highly recommended.
- Attitudinal skills: students should be encouraged to ask for and accept
advice; to collaborate, study, and work together for exams, presentations,
and research; and to accept the idea that people succeed in science
with different kinds of skills.
5. Recruitment and Retention (Dr. Anne Etgen, presenter)
Involving students, faculty, and programs in recruitment and retention
efforts
The theme of this discussion was that success breeds success. If students
are flourishing, they are your best representatives and your best recruiting
tool.
Recruitment strategies that were emphasized:
- Integrate recruitment efforts with individuals at undergraduate schools
who advise students about Ph.D. training rather than health professions
careers. At minority-serving institutions this often is the MBRS or
MARC program director. Encourage undergraduate institutions to create
formal mechanisms to advise students about graduate training opportunities;
inform students that graduate school admission usually is accompanied
by financial support.
- Increase exposure at national meetings; send faculty and students
to the SACNAS national meeting and the Annual Biomedical Research Conference
for Minority Students. Send your minority graduate trainees to national
meetings where they can meet and recruit students.
- Create mechanisms to expose K-12 students to the excitement of scientific
inquiry, and involve both faculty and students from your institution
in this process.
- De-emphasize GRE scores in admission decisions and inform applicants
that they will not be rejected simply on the basis of GRE scores.
Retention strategies that were emphasized:
- Support structures for URM students must be thoughtfully planned.
Tutoring and study groups should be encouraged and facilitated before
students get into academic difficulty.
- Curriculum must be flexible to accommodate students with diverse backgrounds.
This includes availability of undergraduate courses, reduced course
loads in the first year, and withdrawal from a course if the need arises.
Emphasize the importance of early success.
- Participation of faculty who are passionate about the program, committed
to student success, and willing to be personally involved with students.
- Support formation of a minority student organization to provide academic,
social, and cultural support. If too few students are in your program,
encourage them to initiate contact with students in other departments
or nearby institutions.
- Educate non-faculty staff who often serve as "informal mentors" (e.g.
departmental secretaries/administrators, technical staff) about support
services available to students.
- Designate a faculty level ombudsperson to mediate conflicts between
students and faculty.
- Have mechanisms in place to deal with problems that arise outside
the classroom or laboratory. These include, but are not limited to,
medical problems, psychiatric problems, financial pressures, and family
problems.
6. Retention of Undergraduate and Graduate Students (Dr. Joseph
Dunbar, presenter)
Academic success at research-intensive undergraduate and graduate
institutions
The following elements were identified for successful minority graduate
students:
- Selectivity of students: the institution and program should match
the personal and academic needs and interests of the student.
- Early and continued monitoring at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
- Mentoring: an excellent faculty member is essential to provide academic,
research, and personal support. For undergraduates, early mentoring
keeps students interested in science, graduate school, and research.
Graduate student mentors also can be effective in this role.
- An overall support structure that involves faculty, students, family,
and church.
Institutionalization of efforts and faculty involvement
- Institutional memory must be developed: recruitment and retention
programs are successfully institutionalized when efforts occur at many
levels and success does not depend on one individual.
- A supportive institutional culture fosters perpetuation of efforts.
- Faculty, students, and the administration must support the student
culture.
- Institutional efforts must be coordinated and resources must be shared.
Multiple training grants and programs are most successful when they
do not function in isolation.
back to top
Panel II. Discussion
Post-baccalaureate research programs
Panel Comment
Dr. McGee commented that post-baccalaureate programs should serve
specific purposes, and are not intended for students who are ready to
make the transition from undergraduate to graduate school. Post-baccalaureate
programs are particularly useful for: undecided students who may have
been exposed to research late in his/her education and need to be sure
research is the right choice; students who are still developing the academic
and/or social skills needed for success and require preparatory time to
mature; and students who need time to correct specific areas of deficiency
and gain the self-confidence necessary to excel in graduate school. Dr.
Joel Oppenheim noted that the term "post-baccalaureate" connotes a pre-med
preparatory program and the terminology should be changed.
Counseling support services
Panel Comment
Dr. Slaughter noted that programs with high retention rates devote a lot
of time to counseling students for non-academic problems. She asked how
often professional counseling services are utilized, and how big a role
this plays in minority student retention.
Panel Responses
Dr. Chalkley responded that clinical depression can be a major factor
for all graduate students and there must be a way to recognize the problem
and encourage students to seek help. One must also be aware that medication
can affect a student's ability to work and study. Dr. Etgen added that
at her institution, there is a designated director of counseling who is
approachable, listens to student problems, and acts as a liaison for obtaining
professional counseling services and arranging accommodations for physical
and learning disabilities. Although all students may benefit from this
kind of resource, some minority students may have a greater need for counseling
due to family and financial pressures.
Student Support Groups
Question
A graduate student asked how students can get funding to form support
groups.
Panel Responses
Dr. Morimoto replied that usually you simply have to ask. Most directors
and deans of graduate studies or departmental chairs recognize the value
of support groups. Dr. Etgen added that the cost of these activities is
relatively modest, most universities designate funds for this purpose,
and a specific budget proposal usually can be accommodated. At her institution
the minority student group serves an important function, is well organized,
has a faculty adviser that provides continuity, and receives funds for
activities, including support for minority seminar speakers.
Recruitment and Marketing Strategies
Question
What approaches can be used to influence students at undergraduate institutions
who are considering medical and graduate school options?
Panel Responses
Avoid scheduling recruitment visits through the pre-med advisor. In advance
and at your expense, contact a department chair or science advisor to
arrange a seminar or lunch to talk with students about graduate school.
When recruiting at universities or at meetings such as SACNAS or the Annual
Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, convey your "passion"
for science. Bring current graduate students to convey their excitement
and perspective of your program. Present research in the context of how
students can make a contribution to society. Often students don't see
how research relates to meaningful issues. Invite minority faculty from
different disciplines to talk about research and social issues.
Taking Risks
Question
What is an acceptable level of risk, and what is the cost of accepting
a student who doesn't succeed?
Panel Response
Dr. Chalkley repeated that you must balance giving a student the benefit
of doubt and providing all the necessary support against early identification
of students who are unlikely to succeed.
Minority Faculty Recruitment
Comment
Dr. Alan Grossman emphasized the importance of recruiting minority faculty.
University policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides
an additional position to a department that recruits a minority faculty
member. He urged the audience to advocate this approach at their institutions.
back to top
Dr. David Burgess spoke from his perspectives as past president of SACNAS;
as a study section member for the review of research, training, and minority
programs; and as an advisor to NIH for many years. He stressed the importance
of the NIH and NIGMS commitment and leadership in requiring minority recruitment
for training grants, and in enforcing that requirement. Dr. Burgess attributed
the higher representation, compared to national figures, of minority students
in NRSA training programs to that leadership. However, he also emphasized
that we must do better, not because of demographics, but because of the
health disparities that exist for our nation's 30 percent minority population.
Despite large recent increases in the NIH budget, the health disparity
gap has not narrowed. This argument should be used to encourage minority
students to pursue research careers.
Dr. Burgess noted the existence of many models and organizations, including
Meyerhoff-like programs, bridge programs, and minority-serving societies
and institutions that are working at the undergraduate level to increase
the pool of minority students. He stressed that mentoring is a key to
the success of these programs, but reminded the audience that the best
scientists may not make the best mentors. Dr. Burgess cited a recent study,
"Priming the Pump: Strategies for Increasing the Achievement of Underrepresented
Minority Undergraduates," that provides statistics on the success of these
programs. The most recent data show that minorities received 13 percent
of baccalaureate degrees in the sciences, and that minority graduates
are as likely as majority students to remain in science. He concluded
that, thanks to the efforts of the NIH, NSF, minority-serving societies
and institutions, and private foundations, there is a growing pool of
students. He is offended when people say that they cannot find minority
students, pointing out that at the last SACNAS meeting, there were 800
Native American and Hispanic students, 400 of whom were presenting posters,
yet only a small fraction of the audience was there to meet these students
and share their enthusiasm for science. He cited a recent survey of graduate
students conducted at the University of Wisconsin, in which 37 percent
of minority students said their departments do not actively recruit minorities,
and half said that their department does not provide a supportive environment
for minorities.
In summarizing the workshop, Dr. Burgess addressed several questions:
1. What can graduate programs and training grant program directors
do to improve the recruitment and retention of minority students in research?
- Learn from and emulate successful programs.
- Train increasingly large cohorts of minority students and do not be
satisfied with a few.
- Create a supportive environment.
- Allow and encourage minority students to transcend their race, but
not their culture (for example, Jackie Robinson, and Ella Fitzgerald).
- Stress excellence. A minority must be considered an excellent scientist
first, and a minority second.
- Make minorities feel welcome on your campuses by the presence of minority
faculty and students.
2. What have we learned?
- Individuals make a difference. NIH should invest in "local champions,"
providing career development support to minorities so they can devote
more time to mentoring without compromising their scholarship.
- There are many routes to success, as exemplified by the Meyerhoff
and other programs described at the workshop.
- Institutionalize change.
- The pipeline to faculty and science leadership positions for minorities
must be opened.
- All components of NIH must display the same strong commitment to minority
training.
3. What can NIGMS do to assist the community?
- Change the minority supplement program to allow investigators to train
larger numbers of undergraduate students.
- Develop mechanisms to invest in mentors and leaders.
- Create programs for minority faculty development.
Dr. Burgess ended by noting that the audience contains the best and most
committed scientists, educators, and administrators, and they must take
the initiative to lead in educating the citizenry and eliminating health
disparities.
back to top
Final Remarks
Dr. Morimoto applauded Dr. Ruth Kirschstein and the leadership of NIGMS
for their long commitment and investment in minority training and thanked
the audience for its participation. He stated that if each person brought
just one idea back to their home institution, and identified just one
practice to implement or modify, the workshop would have a significant
impact. He urged those at undergraduate campuses to assume the added responsibility
of not only talking to other training grant program directors, deans,
and department chairs, but of communicating with heads of undergraduate
programs. He noted that NIGMS plans to establish a Web
page to enable the exchange of ideas and feedback on successful programs
and practices. With a final thanks to the NIGMS leadership, Dr. Morimoto
adjourned the workshop.
back to top
back to top
back to top
|
|