Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program

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Overview

PREP builds upon a Scholar's skills and research interests in an individualized program of research, coursework, special seminars and works-in-progress sessions. A PREP Scholar spends one or two years in PREP, of which about 75 percent is dedicated to laboratory time and 25 percent to a combination of courses, special works-in-progress/seminars, skills development and community-outreach activities. Each Scholar selects a faculty mentor for the research work from among the large and diverse group of participating faculty of the Graduate School. The PREP Director, the PREP scholar's individual PREP advisor and other PREP faculty leadership provide guidance during the mentor selection process. This process is also informed by the large number of orientation-to-potential-mentor activities for incoming PhD, MD/PhD and PREP-Med students that are also attended by the PREP scholars.

Scholars receive an annual stipend of $24,000 during a 12-month period, and are provided with health insurance. Travel awards are available for national meetings. Many of our PREP scholars present their work at local and/or national meetings and many of them have co-authored publications resulting from their PREP research projects.

Thoughout the PREP experience, each Scholar is encouraged to enlarge their vision of how future doctoral work can lead them towards a rewarding career path that involves cutting-edge biomedical research. They are actively guided towards development of their application portfolios and selection of programs to which they will apply for PhD, MD/PhD or other degrees that are optimal next steps for particular scholars (e.g. initial M.S. or MPH studies).

PREP Goals

This dynamic preparatory Program is designed to:

  • Increase the enrollment of underrepresented minority PhD  and MD/PhD students in graduate programs
  • Enhance the quality of the experience that PREP Scholars will have when they enter a pre-doctoral program
  • Provide an opportunity for the Scholar to participate in an intensive research experience in an area of par-ticular interest and in a cutting-edge laboratory
  • Provide the opportunity for the Scholar to discover careers in diverse aspects of biomedical research and education
  • Provide an interim period in which the Scholar is part of a graduate school community
  • Provide an individualized program for those Scholars who will benefit from skills development and a gradual initiation to graduate coursework.
  • Provide opportunities for participation in community outreach projects and attendance at Center for Multi-Cultural and Community Affairs Grand Rounds on health and health care disparities
  • Contribute in the longer-term to the number of highly qualified biomedical researchers from underrepre-sented minority groups who enter independent research careers and contribute their problem-solving skills to biomedicine

Mentor Selection

Scholars begin the Program by choosing a mentor. The mentor oversees the research work of the Scholar does and monitors the PREP scholar’s progress in both the research itself and the larger context of the work. The selection process is:

  1. PREP Scholar accepts offer
  2. Scholar develops list of potential mentors
  3. Scholar meets with Program Director/Steering Committee members to discuss list
  4. Scholar meets with potential mentors
  5. Scholar meets with Program Director/Steering Committee members to discuss mentor selection
  6. PREP Scholar selects mentor

Scholar Assessment

Program administrators review the skills each Scholar possesses and the skills that can be developed further to prepare him or her for application to and success in Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. programs and beyond.

  • GRE workshop
  • MCAT workshop
  • Language skills
    • Written
    • Oral
    • English as a Second Language
  • Computer skills
    • Presentation skills
    • Statistical skills
  • Study skills
  • Time management skills
  • Financial managment/personal budget issues

Voices of PREP

“PREP was a great stepping stone that allowed me to grow as a student in pursuit of a scientific career. I received a tremendous amount of support and encouragement from both the PREP administrators and my mentor. A number of academic resources ranging from one-on-one tutoring to GRE/ MCAT classes were always available upon request. In PREP, no student goes unnoticed or “under the radar” because the program is set up so that every student receives individual attention, in order to ensure that each student meets his/her goals. The PREP program gave me the confidence and direction I needed to be successful in the program and gain admittance into several Ph.D programs.”

Luis Carvajal, PREP
PREP Scholar, 2004–2006
(800) MD-SINAI (800) 637-4624
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