Motivating Self-Efficacy in Diverse Biomedical Science Post-baccalaureate and Graduate Students Through Scientific Conference Implementation.

Kasey R Boehmer,Karen E Hedin,Nirusha Lachman,Cheryl A Dornink,Dennis Mays,Suelen Lucio Boschen De Souza,Louis J Maher,Jason D Doles,J Luis Lujan

doi:10.3389/feduc.2021.774070

Abstract

Tactics to increase the number of underrepresented (UR) students in biomedical research PhD training programs have not yet translated to UR faculty numbers that reflect the diversity of the United States. Continued interventions are required to build skills beyond those that result in placement into a PhD program. We hypothesize that successful interventions must build skills that give UR students foundations for confident self-efficacy in leadership. We seek interventions that allow UR students to envision themselves as successful faculty. We posit that development of such skills is difficult in the classroom or laboratory alone. Therefore, novel interventions are required. As part of the NIH-funded Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) and Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) at the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, we designed and implemented a unique intervention to support development of student leadership skills: a biannual student-organized and student-led national research conference titled "Scientific Innovation Through Diverse Perspectives" (SITDP). This initiative is based on the concept that students who actively live out realistic roles as scientific leaders will be encouraged to persist to scientific leadership as faculty. Here we describe the motivation for, design of, and outcomes from, the first three pilot conferences of this series. We further discuss approaches needed to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of such interventions in the future.

Highlights

AND RATIONALE FOR THE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY INNOVATIONThe National Institutes of Health define UR populations in the research enterprise of the Unites States as individuals 1) from specific racial or ethnic groups (e.g., Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos), 2) with disabilities, 3) from certain disadvantaged backgrounds, and 4) who are women, especially those in the aforementioned categories (National Institutes of Health, 2019)
Undergraduate research experience, NIH-funded programs to increase diversity, conference participation, mentorship, and institutional cultures of commitment to UR students are the activities deemed critical for enrichment of UR learners toward the goal of persistence in careers in biomedical research (Martinez et al, 2018)
Specific activities such as internships in career exploration where students spend significant time in an on-the-job experience in a desired field and academic career coaching, which focuses on guiding learners through career planning steps and professional development activities have been used towards developing UR student selfefficacy (Williams et al, 2017; Schnoes et al, 2018)

Summary

Introduction

AND RATIONALE FOR THE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY INNOVATIONThe National Institutes of Health define UR populations in the research enterprise of the Unites States as individuals 1) from specific racial or ethnic groups (e.g., Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos), 2) with disabilities, 3) from certain disadvantaged backgrounds (e.g., first generation college graduates, raised in rural areas), and 4) who are women, especially those in the aforementioned categories (National Institutes of Health, 2019). Undergraduate research experience, NIH-funded programs to increase diversity, conference participation, mentorship, and institutional cultures of commitment to UR students are the activities deemed critical for enrichment of UR learners toward the goal of persistence in careers in biomedical research (Martinez et al, 2018). Specific activities such as internships in career exploration where students spend significant time in an on-the-job experience in a desired field and academic career coaching, which focuses on guiding learners through career planning steps and professional development activities have been used towards developing UR student selfefficacy (Williams et al, 2017; Schnoes et al, 2018)

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