Providing Social Support for Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Minority PhD Students in the Biomedical Sciences: A Career Coaching Model

Williams, Simon; Thakore, Bhoomi K.; McGee, Richard

doi:10.1187/cbe.17-01-0021

Cited by 48 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The specific goals were to enhance the research experiences and education of our scholars toward their career goals, to enrich their professional development, and ensure an effective and inclusive mentoring. Data from the literature demonstrate that it is necessary for URGs to develop their skills in a culturally and structurally supportive environment with community support and effective mentoring (4,8). It is also critical to introduce URGs to the career opportunities afforded to them upon receiving their doctorates (1,8,9).…”

Section: Ur-prep History and Success-institutional And Workforce Divementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Data from the literature demonstrate that it is necessary for URGs to develop their skills in a culturally and structurally supportive environment with community support and effective mentoring (4,8). It is also critical to introduce URGs to the career opportunities afforded to them upon receiving their doctorates (1,8,9). Described below are the innovative approaches we have undertaken in the last 3 years of UR-PREP to meet this need, as well as preliminary evidence of our success thus far.…”

Section: Ur-prep History and Success-institutional And Workforce Divementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Importantly, aside from taking course related to their research interests, our optimized program also requires our UR-PREP scholars to take a professional development course or attend URSMD sponsored workshops to supplement their training. There is evidence to support that coaching URGs in how best to reach their goals outside of laboratory skill development is integral to their success (8,14,17). As such, our scholars are advised to select from many courses and workshops offered by the URMSD, Center for Professional Development, and UR Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training that suit their professional growth.…”

Section: Academic Autonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This organization includes the current UR-PREP scholars, a postdoctoral fellow, and/or senior PhD student who is from a URG with interest in education. This is a critical aspect of our training program, as there is evidence that nearpeer URG mentors build inclusivity and awareness of the unique needs of trainees from URGs (8). It is also an opportunity for our current graduate students and postdoctoral appointees to develop their own cultural agency (18).…”

Section: Prep Councilmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Broadening and Strengthening Underrepresented Group Inclusion in Immunological Research

Smolock

Robert

2020

Front. Immunol.

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Promoting diversity across biomedical fields is crucial for building comprehensive and innovative research programs, as well as providing trainees from underrepresented groups (URGs) the ability to establish agency and develop skills in a culturally and structurally supportive environment. Despite this awareness, there is still a lack of students from URGs being trained for independent research careers. The Immunology, Microbiology, and Virology (IMV) graduate program at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (URSMD) has been working for the last 13 years to increase diversity through an NIH funded Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP). Historically, our program has trained URG scholars in Immunology, but as we have progressed we have embraced the understanding that both the scholars and the institution benefit from expanding the interdisciplinary nature of our program. Over the last 3 years, we have integrated a broader and highly collaborative faculty mentor pool, including representation from Immunology, Microbiology, Virology, Neuroscience, Genetics, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Toxicology, and Biomedical Engineering. This expansion, coupled with changes in our education program, including skill building workshops and cross campus integration with our student diversity groups and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, has strengthened the competitiveness and success of our cohorts. These improvements are enhancing the diversity of our graduate school, creating a research environment that retains students from URGs in biomedical research. We attribute our success to the interdisciplinary and team-building nature of our pipeline program, as well as the URSMD's initiatives to be a more inclusive and equitable institution.

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Section: Ur-prep History and Success-institutional And Workforce Divementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ur-prep History and Success-institutional And Workforce Divementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Academic Autonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Prep Councilmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Broadening and Strengthening Underrepresented Group Inclusion in Immunological Research

Smolock

Robert

2020

Front. Immunol.

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“…Coaching is emerging as a new model to prepare learners in competency-based medical education. 9,15 In a prior study, we defined academic coaching as a developmental process whereby an individual learner meets regularly over time with a faculty coach to create goals, identify strategies to manage existing and potential challenges, improve academic performance, and develop professional identity toward reaching the learner's highest potential. 16 Thus, academic coaching, which differs from mentoring and advising in that it is learner driven and emphasizes individualized goals, could meet minority medical students' needs in particular.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Differences in Coaching Needs Among Underrepresented Minority Medical Students

Najibi

Carney

Thayer

et al. 2019

Fam Med

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Background and Objectives: Little is known about how the academic coaching needs of medical students differ between those who are racially, ethnically, and socially underrepresented minority (RES-URM) and those who represent the majority. This single-site exploratory study investigated student perceptions and coaching needs associated with a mandatory academic coaching program, and coaches’ understanding of and preparedness to address these potentially differing needs. Methods: Coaching needs of second- and third-year medical students were assessed using two initial focus groups and two validation focus groups, one consisting of RES-URM students and the other majority medical students. Coaches were assessed using a cross-sectional self-administered survey designed to determine their perceptions of differing coaching needs of students Results: Seven themes emerged from the student focus groups. Three of these reflected the coaching relationship, and four reflected the coaching process. RES-URM students expressed stress around sharing vulnerability that was not expressed among majority students. Sixty-eight percent of coaches expressed that RES-URM students would not have differing needs of their coaches. Coaches self-rated as being somewhat (45%), moderately (29%), or very (13%) skilled at coaching RES-URM students. Conclusions: RES-URM students cite different coaching needs than majority students that most coaches do not recognize. Faculty and program development regarding these unique needs is warranted.

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