Medical/Science Research Initiative

Abstract

The primary goal of this program is to increase the number of disadvantaged health-care professionals with research knowledge and skills. Disadvantaged high school students and K-12 science teachers are the main participants mentored by university faculty in selected major Ohio State University colleges related to health including: Medicine; Dentistry; Pharmacy; Veterinary Medicine; Biological Sciences; Nursing; and Food Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. The program is intended to develop a sustained mentoring relationship with active faculty engaged in their own research in order to develop basic research skills. Apprentice researchers either personally select a topic or become involved with the faculty mentor’s research agenda. Two main components of this program are a summer research component and an academic-year enrichment component. Both experiences engage the student and K-12 teacher apprentices in a formal daily relationship with a faculty mentor during an eight-week summer project and monthly contacts throughout the academic year. Research apprentices (high school students and K-12 science teachers) are selected on a competitive basis and represent individuals from local public and private schools; they receive training in conceptualizing research projects refine them and work with a faculty mentor to develop the apprentice’s research knowledge and skills. Apprentices make presentations at the end of the summer and during monthly academic-year sessions.