Summer Program in Undergraduate Urology Research (SPUUR)

PROJECT SUMMARY In 2016, we initiated the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison Summer Program in Undergraduate Urology Research (SPUUR) to attract and retain aspiring scientists into the field. Supported by our George M. O'Brien Center in benign urology research, and excellent mentors including NIDDK Multidisciplinary Urologic Research (KURe) Career Development Program (K12) awardees, we trained 28 scholars. Half the scholars co-authored at least two manuscripts and all remained in research-related positions or joined advanced degree programs. We recruited exclusively from UW-Madison and now seek to expand scholar recruitment to the entire US. We will support 10 students per summer. We will use proven active learning modules to introduce scholars to research and clinical challenges from perspectives of the Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Pharmacy, Nursing and Veterinary Medicine. We believe the benign urology workforce is strengthened by diverse perspectives. We will apply best practices in recruiting participants from traditionally underrepresented communities. Our diversity recruitment efforts are effective and SPUUR scholars trained to date are more diverse than the UW-Madison undergraduate population from which they were recruited. We are determined to propel our scholars into advanced clinical and basic urologic research training programs. We will leverage a unique UW-Madison resource, the nation's only U24 Urology Centers Interaction Core, to initiate professional networks between scholars and faculty at urology centers throughout the country and facilitate entry into advanced degree programs. Historically, most NIDDK-KUH-sponsored R25 Programs have had a kidney or hematologic focus. The lower urinary tract is underrepresented and thus remains under-appreciated by prospective biomedical research scholars. Our program will fill the void by intensively focusing on the lower urinary tract. Students will engage in a carefully constructed curriculum to cultivate critical thinking, develop research questions, conduct research responsibly, network virtually with peers from other summer undergraduate programs, learn about the graduate school application process, interact with current graduate students and campus organizations (particularly those representing students of color and other underrepresented communities), and receive one- on-one advising from mentors experienced in developing biomedical research scholars. Our unique focus on the lower urinary tract, our rigorous and evidence-based plan to recruit underrepresented students, our superior faculty partners, our proven experience in summer undergraduate research programs, our learner-centered training and educational approach, and the unparalleled UW-Madison environment and resources portend the success of our program.