Useful Resources for Students Underrepresented in Medicine

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Biomedical Research Training Program for Individuals from Underrepresented Groups (BRTPUG)
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), established the Biomedical Research Training Program for Individuals from Underrepresented Groups (BRTPUG) to offer opportunities for underrepresented post-baccalaureate individuals to receive training in basic, translational, and clinical research. The purpose of the program is to enhance career opportunities in biomedical sciences, including clinical and laboratory medicine, epidemiology, and biostatistics as applied to the etiology and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases.

Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP)
The purpose of the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) is to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups who are pursuing professional licensure and careers in mathematics, science, technology and health-related fields.

Explore Health Careers
ExploreHealthCareers.org is a free, multi-disciplinary, interactive health careers website designed to explain the array of health professions and provide easy access to students seeking information about health careers. This website is a joint initiative involving national foundations, professional associations, health career advisors, educational institutions, and college students. Their mission is to help solve two urgent problems in American health care: the under-representation of minorities in the workforce, and the lack of health professionals in medically underserved communities.

Latino Medical Student Association-Northeast (LMSA-NE)
The Latino Medical Student Association–Northeast (LMSA-NE), formerly known as the National Boricua Latino Health Organization (NBLHO), is a Latino student group representing health professions students from the northeast region of the United States. Its mission is to recruit Latinos into higher education, educate the public and one another about Latino health issues, advocate for increased Latino representation in health related areas, and promote awareness about social, political and economic issues as they relate to Latino health. It also serves to create a support network for Latino students.

MARC Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (U-STAR) Awards (T34)
Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) U-STAR awards provide support for undergraduate students who are underrepresented in the biomedical sciences to improve their preparation for high-caliber graduate training at the Ph.D. level. Institutions with significant enrollments of college students from underrepresented groups may be eligible to apply.

Awards are made to colleges and universities that offer the baccalaureate degree. Only one grant per eligible institution is awarded. MARC institutions select the trainees to be supported. Trainees must be honors students majoring in the biomedical sciences who have expressed interest in pursuing postgraduate education leading to the Ph.D., M.D.-Ph.D. or other combined professional degree-Ph.D. in these fields upon completing their baccalaureate degree. The period of appointment to the MARC U-STAR program is a consecutive 24-month period at the final 2 years of undergraduate training, typically called the junior and senior years. To enhance the MARC trainee pool, MARC institutions should provide various training opportunities (academic and skills development) to motivate and interest pre-trainees to build the entire science student capacity.

National Association of Medical Minority Educators (NAMME)
The National Association of Medical Minority Educators (NAMME) is dedicated to developing and sustaining productive relationships as well as action-oriented programs among national, state, and community stakeholders working to ensure racial and ethnic diversity in all of the health professions. NAMME also seeks to provide critical guidance and professional development opportunities for individuals dedicated to these efforts and the students they serve.

National Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)
The HSF is the nation’s largest not-for-profit organization supporting Hispanic higher education. Founded in 1975, the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) provides American families with the financial and educational resources they need to achieve a college education and help America remain competitive globally. Its mission is to increase the number of Hispanic college graduates by providing scholarships and assistance to students and their families. HSF’s vision is a future when every Hispanic household benefits from someone in the family with a college degree – creating an enduring impact for generations to come.

National Medical Fellowships (NMF)
Since its inception in 1946, National Medical Fellowships (NMF) has strived to improve access to quality healthcare for all Americans by supporting students of medicine and the health professions from underrepresented minority groups, who are more likely to practice in medically underserved communities. Today, NMF offers two types of programs: scholarships & awards, and service learning programs.

NIH Post-Baccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA)
The NIH Post-Baccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) program (CRTA, Cancer Research Training Award, in the National Cancer Institute) provides recent college graduates who are planning to apply to graduate or professional (medical/dental/pharmacy) school an opportunity to spend one or two years performing full-time research at the NIH. Post-Bac IRTAs/CRTAs work side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research.

NIH Recruitment and Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity
The NIH Recruitment and Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity is a plan that institutional research training, institutional career development, and research education grant award (e.g., T32, T35, K12, CTSA, and R25) applicants must include in their application. The plan should describe their recruitment and retention efforts to diversify the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences workforce through increased participation of talented individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups; individuals with disabilities; and individuals from economically, socially, culturally, or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. Institutions are encouraged to identify candidates who will increase diversity on a national or institutional basis.

Pre-Collegiate Preparation Programs Unit
The mission of the Pre-Collegiate Preparation Programs Unit is to foster the development and implementation of collaborative partnerships among and between colleges, schools, community-based organizations, parents, students, business, industry and government to ensure that all students in New York State, especially those in programs administered by the Unit, have every opportunity to be successful learners in an environment that honors the uniqueness of each individual.

Public Health Careers
Publichealth.org provides a series of guides on public health career paths. From biostatistics to public policy, there is relevant information on specializations and salary data to help aspiring public health professionals find their best fit.

Student National Medical Association (SNMA): Minority Association of Premedical Students (MAPS)
Minority Association of Premedical Students (MAPS) represents the undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA). SNMA represents future underrepresented medical students by creating diversity and making strides in all aspects of medicine and patient care. SNMA has a great interest in increasing the number of physicians of color entering the workforce.

Summer Medical and Dental Education Program
Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP) is a free (full tuition, housing, and meals) six-week summer academic enrichment program that offers freshman and sophomore college students intensive and personalized medical and dental school preparation.