The University of Louisville Biomedical Integrative Opportunity for Mentored Experience Development Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (UL-BIOMED-PREP), is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded program that provides an extensive paid research experience in outstanding research facilities with leading investigators at the University of Louisville. This one year-long program also provides comprehensive professional development experiences and workshops to strengthen the professional skills necessary to apply and succeed in research and graduate school. Overall, this experience is designed to prepare individuals for admission into a biomedical sciences Ph.D. program.

Our Mission

UL-BIOMED-PREP is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, which aims to enhance diversity in the scientific workforce. UL-BIOMED-PREP supports individuals underrepresented in STEM who graduated recently (<36 months). The mission of the UL-BIOMED-PREP is to train the next generation of underrepresented scientists in STEM fields represented in our Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Arts and Sciences, and Engineering. UL-BIOMED-PREP is a unique integrated education program among these four schools; it will provide graduates from Kentucky and surrounding areas who are underrepresented in the STEM fields with extensive mentored development and research opportunities in these disciplines with access to an extensive array of scientific projects, tailored courses designed to develop skills that will prepare them to apply to a Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. program, and cohort-building activities geared toward building resiliency and developing critical thinking and life-long learning skills necessary for becoming a successful scientific leader.

Why Choose UL-BIOMED-PREP?

  • Receive 12 months of paid research experience with access to health benefits and tuition support for PREP courses
  • Access to state-of-the-art research facilities
  • Access to a diverse UofL faculty (>60) from different disciplines with graduate student mentoring experience
  • Rotation in two laboratories before selection of a mentor
  • Exposure to graduate-level courses
  • Access to GRE test preparation services and tutoring opportunities

 

  • Unique workshops
    • Emphasize and discuss the most effective learning strategies with current graduate students
    • Acquire Molecular Biology skills including library preparation for RNAseq analysis (1 full week)
  • Professional development workshops focusing on communication and writing as well as goal setting, motivation, and perseverance
  • Access to senior graduate students as Peer Mentors
  • Participation in the UL-BIOMED-PREP journal club/Research in progress meetings and formal training in reading and presenting data/primary literature
  • Networking opportunities including lab meetings, group journal clubs, presentation of research findings at an annual symposium and travel allowance for an opportunity to present at a National Research Meeting
  • Financial Aid/advance provided on a case-by-case basis for flight and housing deposit/first month rent