Bridges to the Doctorate Research Training Program at CSU San Marcos with UCSD and TSRI

PROJECT SUMMARY As a young, rapidly growing campus in North San Diego County, California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) is well-positioned to prepare motivated students from underrepresented (UR) groups for graduate studies and research careers. A large proportion of CSUSM students is Hispanic (47%), which exceeds the non-Hispanic White population (27%). The campus is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). In addition, 54% are from families in which they will be the first to complete a college degree and 52% are Pell Grant recipients. Thus, CSUSM is home to a rapidly growing diverse student body, many of whom are low income and/or the first in their family to attend college. The Bridges to the Doctorate Research Training Program at CSU San Marcos with UCSD and TSRI (B2PhD) has been specifically developed to meet the needs of the student population at CSUSM. The program will use evidence-based practices to achieve the following 8 objectives: 1) prepare, recruit and select scholars who show significant promise for success, 2) enhance quantitative and methodological skills, 3) enhance scientific communication skills, 4) engage students in meaningful biomedical research that results in thesis and publication(s), 5) develop knowledge, skills and persistence necessary to succeedin a doctoral program and beyond, 6) expose students to a culturally validated pedagogy to increase belonging and persistence, 7) to prepare competitive applications for graduate school, and 8) reduce time to degree in both Master’s and PhD settings. The program is two years in length. We propose to engage 8 master’s students in year 1 of the program, and 16 in years 2-5. Our major goals, informed by past success rates, are for 90% of CSUSM B2PhD Scholars to graduate with their master’s degree and 70% to enter PhD programs. Taken as a whole, the B2PhD Program, in concert with a highly supportive campus environment, will prepare students from UR groups to be thoughtful scientists who have the knowledge, skills, research experience and character that prepare them for doctoral studies in the biomedical and behavioral sciences and that allow them to become future leaders in science and academia. By doing this we will help advance the goals of the National Institutes of Health to diversify the research workforce. A more diverse research workforce will better address the research needs of a diverse nation and thereby contribute to better health for all.