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Definition
The purpose of the High School Biomedical Research Program is to inspire
disadvantaged high school students to pursue careers in biomedical research
and the health professions. Through the program The University of Maryland
provides hands-on research experience for high school students during
the summer. It has demonstrated and proven its effectiveness for the past
13 years. The Program is significantly different from other high school
scholastic experiences. The training is intense and focused, in a highly
scientific environment, with constant supervision by trained scientists.
History
and Sponsorship
The High School
Biomedical Research Program began in 1988 and has been supported by the
National Institutes of Health, The State of Maryland, The City of Baltimore,
The Maryland Transit Authority, The Institute of Psychiatry, Institute
of Human Virology, the University of Maryland Hospital and the Schools
of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work.
A. National
Institutes of Health (NIH)
This Program was first funded by an RO3 grant from the National Institutes
of Health in 1988. Because of the Program's success, the award increased
more than 10 fold by 1991. In 1995 the RO3 was replaced with a three
year, RO25 grant. This year it was renewed for another 3 years until
the year 2000. NIH funding for 2000 is $52,190. The total amount of
NIH funds since 1988 is almost one half million dollars. The funds are
used as stipends for the apprentices, and as supply money for the mentors
and their departments. Nine years ago the program expanded to include
the training of high school teachers.
B. State of Maryland (MD)
In 1998 the Program was awarded a grant for "Minority Recruitment
and Retention in the Life Sciences" by the State of Maryland. It
was $20,000 in matching funds to support additional high school science
teachers.
C. City of Baltimore
(BC)
For the first time in 1994 the City of Baltimore helped support our
Program. This was accomplished through the Commonwealth Project (CW)
which supplied $3,200 in matching funds, and Exploring Health Careers
Project (EHC) which paid the stipends of 2 of our students. CW continues
to support our Program on an irregular basis. Last year it provided
half the salary of one of our students.
D. Maryland
Transit Authority (MTA)
In 1994 The Maryland Transit Authority helped support our Program. Through
their Together Project they paid the stipends of 6 of our apprentices.
They also provided the transportation for our field trips to other institutions.
E. The University
of Maryland, Baltimore Campus
Several schools, departments and institutes from the University of Maryland
have graciously provided the use of laboratory space, research equipment,
support facilities and utilities.
F. Other Support
Senators Paul Sarbanes and Barbara Mikulski, Congressmen Kweisi Mfume
and Benjamin Cardin, Governor Paris Glendening, Kurt Schmoke, Mayor
of Baltimore, Dr. Walter Amprey, Superintendent of Baltimore City Public
Schools, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Director of The Maryland Student
Services Alliance and others have all given their personal backing to
this Program. (See attached letters.) Dr. Amprey and a representative
of Benjamin Cardin have attended our orientations. Local media and organizations
also helped in recruitment.
Federal and State
Funds
Recruitment
A. Application
Process
Every spring, recruitment letters are sent to high schools in the Baltimore
area. Applications must include a completed application form, a transcript
of grades, a letter of recommendation from a science teacher, and an
essay written by the applicant.
Competition for
the Program is intense. The first year there were 22 applicants for
each available position. Although we only recruit from the Baltimore
area, we have received applications from as far away as Tennessee, Florida
and Africa.
Selection is based
on the student's grades, motivation, ability, accomplishments, and degree
of potential commitment to a health science career. Finalists are interviewed
by their potential mentors and the Director of the Program.
The High School
Science Teachers are selected in the same manner. Of utmost importance
is the potential of the teacher to transfer the training obtained in
the summer to their classrooms in the fall.
B. Publicity
Local newspapers, radio stations and TV stations have graciously helped
with publicity over the years. The Director of the Program appeared
on WEAA-AM radio (Half-hour), WJHU-FM Maryland Public Radio (Half-hour)
and WBFF FOX 45 Television. Organizations such as the Baltimore District
of the Boy Scouts of America also helped. Our Program is a member of
the National Network for Health Science Partnerships which is sponsored
by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Our program is listed
yearly in their "Secondary School Science Minority Achievement
Registry". In 1998 our program and one of our students was featured
as a cover story in the Girl Scout newsletter Pathways to the Future,
(Volume 3, Number 3 -Fall 1998) which has a circulation of 26,000 families.
High
Schools
Students from any high school in Baltimore City and the surrounding counties
are eligible to apply. Students and teachers in 2001 came from 13 different
schools. Since the beginning of the Program 79 high schools have provided
students or science teachers.
Apprentices
The number of male and female apprentices has increased about seven- fold
since the Program began. The majority of EHS, MTA and CW apprentices are
disadvantaged minorities. The NIH students are required to be economically,
socially or educationally disadvantaged. Guidelines for these categories
are published by the federal government. NIH has determined that socially
disadvantaged students include individuals underrepresented in biomedical
and/or behavioral research nationally including Black Americans, Hispanic
Americans, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders."
For the ninth year
in a row, some of the federal and state funds have been used to support
high school science teachers in this program. The teachers must be disadvantaged
themselves or teach in a school with predominantly disadvantaged students.
The Program presents the teachers with scientific methods that can be
adapted to teaching high school students and will help them bring the
excitement of modern research to their own classrooms.
Number of Apprentices
Faculty
Originally the apprentices worked under one mentor in the Physiology Department.
Over the last 13 years the Program has expanded. Since 1988 students in
the Program worked in 32 different basic, clinical and support departments
under 76 different mentors. The demand for apprentices is great. Many
faculty who request apprentices do not get them because of the lack of
funds. The potential faculty mentors out-numbered the funded positions.
All NIH mentors have
either a PhD, MD or DDS degree. Almost all mentors have research grants.
The career counselors have professional degrees in their respective disciplines.
The subject experts are university faculty or doctoral graduate students.
The Director has a PhD in the basic medical sciences and is an Associate
Professor. He has been Director of the High School Program since 1987.
The basic science
departments that provide mentors include Anatomy, Biochemistry, Epidemiology,
Immunology, Medical Technology, Microbiology, Oral and Cranial Biological
Sciences, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Virology. The clinical
research departments are Family Medicine, General Dentistry, Oral Medicine,
Orthodontics, Pediatrics, Pedodontics, Periodontics, Psychiatry and Restorative
Dentistry. The support departments are Clinical Affairs, Educational Resources
and Facilities Management. (The NIH students are not assigned to the support
departments. Only the students funded from other sources are assigned
to the support departments.) Not only do high school students benefit
from this Program, but the faculty receive summer help and much needed
funds to help run laboratories. This Program has contributed more than
60,000 man-hours of student help during its tenure.
Experiences
The main focus of the Program is the mentor-apprentice relationship. Eighty-five
per cent of the apprentice's time is spent working with the mentor in
his or her environment. However, besides this tutorial guidance, apprentices
receive other training and experiences. The following are some of these
activities.
A. Orientation
Day
During orientation the apprentices attend classes on laboratory safety,
laboratory procedures, administrative procedures, and security.
B. Science Lecture
Series
Wednesday mornings for one hour the apprentices attend classes of research-related
topics given by campus faculty. The topics this year included:
-A History of Human Experimentation
-Bibliographic Search Techniques
-Communicating Scientific Data
-Methodological Issues in Research
-Use of Animals in Biomedical Research
-Ethical Conduct in Science Writing
The high school teachers were also given the option to attend a one
hour seminars on higher level research topics.
B. Career Seminars
Apprentices attend weekly seminars presented by professionals discussing
careers in medical research, medicine, medical technology, nursing,
social work, dentistry, dental hygiene and pharmacy. They receive insights
into the lives of biomedical professionals, helpful advice on applying
to professional and graduate schools, and obtaining financial aid.
C. Oral Presentations
Once a week all apprentices meet to discuss their work with each other.
They give formal 15 minute oral presentations to their peers. Each one
has an opportunity to speak three times during the summer. After each
talk there is a question and answer period, and written evaluations
by their peers. The evaluations are given directly to the speaker immediately
after the presentation. Nobody except the speaker sees the evaluations.
The apprentices not only receive invaluable public speaking experience,
but also receive immediate feedback in a non-judgmental and supportive
manner. The Director or high school teachers attend the presentations
and critique the presenters afterwards.
D. Field Trips
Some years the Maryland Transit Authority donates a bus and driver and
all the apprentices go on a field trip to the National Institutes of
Health for a day of discovery consisting of a formal tour and visits
to laboratories. They also receive campus tours of the hospitals, shock-trauma
center, and the research laboratories of the schools of medicine, nursing,
dentistry, social work and pharmacy. Future trips may include tours
of the medical research labs of Johns Hopkins Medical School.
E. Written Reports
All apprentices are required to write a midterm report of their activities
which is critiqued by all of their fellow students and the Director
of the Program and returned to them. They are also required to write
an abstract of their work to be included in the Program for the Closing
Ceremony.
F. Operation
HEARTS
Students are also given the option to perform a humanitarian group activity.
This year they unanimously agreed to do so, and spent a half-day working
at "Our Daily Bread" which is a soup kitchen in Baltimore.
Although this activity is not research-related the Director feels that
giving back to the community should be a part of every group's activities,
and it is good training in values and working together. The students
call their humanitarian work "Operation HEARTS" (Humanitarian
Efforts and Research by Tomorrow's Scientists).
F. Science Competition
During the last week of the Program the apprentices are divided into
teams and compete for prizes in a question and answer competition. The
questions are based on the biomedical sciences and the semiweekly oral
presentations that the apprentices attended. This motivates them to
learn and creates a spirit of teamwork.
G. Biomedical/Bioethical
Debates
Students conduct two biomedical/bioethical debates weekly. One hour
is devoted to arguments, rebuttals and discussions among the students
and guests. Some of the topics are below.
1. Should Animals
be used for medical research?
2. Should fetal stem cells be used for medical research?
3. What is more important, nature or nurture?
4. Is cloning of humans good or bad?
5. Is alcoholism a disease or a choice?
6. Will the human life span increase to 150 years?
7. What is more important for survival, cognition or emotions?
8. What is more important, right brain or left brain?
H. Laboratory
Visitations
For one half day every week, half of the students visit the laboratories
of the other half of the students. This gives them broader hands-on
experience with different equipment and procedures, in other laboratories
studying different biomedical systems.
I. Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation
We offer a CPR course that all apprentices have the option to take.
Successful completion of the didactic and practical portions of the
course certifies them with the American Heart Association.
J. Closing Ceremonies
During a day long ceremony at the end of the Program the apprentices
give oral and poster presentations of their work in front of their parents,
fellow students and the University faculty. Certificates of completion
and awards are presented. Awards are presented including Best mid-Program
Written Report, Best Seminar Presenter, Most Persuasive Debater, Best
Science Content in a Poster, Best Visual Display of a Poster, Best Oral
Presentation of a Poster, Best All-Round Poster and Best All-round Student
in the Program. The Baltimore Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience
also sponsors an award for the Best Neuroscience Project. The winner
than is given the opportunity to present the paper at the Neuroscience
Chapter's autumn meeting.
K. High School
Credit
With the assistance of one of the teacher apprentices, the Baltimore
County Public School System approved our Summer Research Program for
high school credit.
Evaluation
The evaluation process consists of 6 parts that are a modified version
of the recommendations in the National Science Foundation publication,
User-friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation. These evaluations
help determine if the project meets its goals, the cost/effectiveness
ratio, the aspects of the project that were the most effective, and
if the project could be replicated elsewhere.
A. Post-program
evaluations by the apprentices
The apprentices complete evaluation forms consisting of 31 objective
and 10 subjective questions about the program. With the objective questions
they are given a scale that ranges from A (Very Good) to E (Very Bad).
The 1998 Program was rated "A" or "B" by 100% of
the participants. Individual components of the Program rated highest
over the last 3 years were the interview process, student-faculty relationships,
the research guidance and supervision, Orientation Day, the career seminars,
Competition Day, and the humanitarian project. The lowest rated components
were parking, payroll, the photo ID process and the requirement to wear
lab coats.
The subjective questions
asked for recommendations and inquired about their knowledge and attitudes
about science and research. Many students commented that the program
made them realize that research requires "hard work and patience".
But they also said that we made the program "fun" and that
they wished it was "longer". "It showed me what scientists
really do." Other comments included, "I enjoyed coming to
work every morning.", "Made me realize what research was all
about and that scientists... change people's lives forever.", "I
can see why scientists are so curious.", and "I am now sure
I want to go into research".
Eighty-eight percent
of the 1997 class said that the program influenced their career goals.
After the program all of them returned to high school except 5 who went
on to college. They went to Cornell, Howard, University of Virginia,
and 2 of them went to the University of Maryland. They majored in either
biology, other science or pre-med. The career plans of 90% of the 1997
class included either biomedical research or medicine.
Next year the participants
will complete pre-program as well as post-program questionnaires.
B. Post-Program
evaluations by the mentors
Early in 1997 all of the previous mentors since the beginning of the
program in 1988 were sent post-program evaluation forms. Twenty-three
were returned. The following were the composite results of those 23
survey forms.
Using a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the best and 5 being the worst), 16
mentors rated the program as a "1", and the remaining 7 rated
it as a "2".
The following are some of the things that the mentors liked about the
program:
1. "Well organized."
2. "It is an excellent way for students to get a "feel"
for science and research work on real projects. It also allows faculty
to appreciate what is being taught in high schools."
3. "The program provided young talented individuals with an opportunity
to participate in research."
4. "This is a great program which gives faculty opportunities to
train and mentor students who are interested in research /health professions.
It has provided significant help over the summer when we (faculty) run
experiments. Students were very dedicated."
5. "Excellent selection of students."
6. "Program gives students the job experience and the understanding
how the working world operates. It also prepares them for the future."
7. "The program was well organized to give students a variety of
research experiments."
8. "My experience with [my student] last year was very positive
and I look forward to participating again in the future."
9. "I enjoyed working with Tristan Evans who is an outstanding
student, very committed and hard-working. She was energetic and enthusiastic
learning about medicine, research and HPV."
The following are some of the things that the mentors would like to
see change:
1. "Have a longer period for students in the lab."
2. "Have more high school teachers involved."
3. "Students should have stronger backgrounds in lab experience
before they start."
4. "High school students should be paired with college students."
5. "It is a good idea to prepare the list of poster presentations
in advance."
6. "Reduce the number of group activities."
7. "The program should last longer."
C. Outside Evaluator
Dr. Edward Grace, an outside volunteer psychologist/educator, was asked
to review the evaluations and make recommendations. He states in his
report "In summary, it is my opinion that the quality of your program
is very high. It is a much-needed program that is very well run. Your
internal and external assessments and evaluations are fair, unbiased,
and your organizational structure allows you to be responsive to participant's
suggestions and reviewer's critiques." He made 3 recommendations
to 1. compile annual reports, 2. incorporate in them the results of
the evaluations, and 3. conduct follow-up surveys to determine our graduates'
eventual career choices. We have complied with all three of the outside
evaluator's recommendations. See outside evaluator's letter in the appendix.
Below are other
unsolicited comments from outsiders.
"Very impressive!
You really do a great job with that program. The students and you must
be so proud of their achievement by the end of the summer." Linda
Devore, Chair of the Department of Dental Hygiene.
"... a note
to let you know how impressed I was with your student researchers' presentations.
The students were so informative and so very focused. I was amazed at
the topics and knowledge these kids were spouting out. What a wonderful
program! I know you must be proud of each of them." Debra Suls,
Office of Admissions and Student Affairs.
D. Higher education
and career choices
Students are followed by periodic letters to determine their future
involvement in the biomedical sciences.
E. Implementation
of training by teachers
Teachers are invited back in subsequent years to discuss how they integrated
their scientific knowledge into their classroom instruction. Some of
their comments are as follows:
-They use the lab
techniques they learned but on a smaller scale.
-They replicate many parts of our program in their class rooms, such
as:
Oral presentations with peer evaluations
Mentoring by outside science professionals
Intensive library research training
Research projects on a small scale
-They are able to transfer their experiences, as well as their knowledge
to their students
-They are able to transfer the emotional excitement about research
-They have more up-to-date knowledge that they can use for their advanced
students and independent study programs
F. Return Visits
During the Year
Certain apprentices are invited back during the year to continue their
work in the laboratories. Last year one teacher and two students continued
to come back during the year.
Rationale
At the "Centennial of the Neuron" Conference, which was held
at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, Dr. Floyd Bloom emphasized
the critical need for biomedical scientists and other medical workers.
This need is all too evident in the diseases that confront our society
today, such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, AIDS, affective
disorders, and the addictions. Dr. Bloom cited statistics that project
a marked decline in the numbers of biomedical scientists within the next
15 years. High quality, well-trained clinical and preclinical scientists
will emerge only if we take care to plant the proper seeds for those objectives
now. Dr. Bloom encouraged the recruitment of young minds even before high
school.
Outcomes
A. Publications
All of the students' work is published in the programs for the Campus
research days. The winning neuroscience abstract is the published in
the program for the meeting of the Baltimore Chapter of the Society
for Neuroscience. Some of the work of the students is of such quality
that it warrants national publication. Here are some examples of recent
publications by our high school summer apprentices (their names are
in bold).
Guthmiller, L. M.,
Noorani, S. M., Marsh, M.J., Turng, B. & Falkler, W. A. Jr.
Analysis of Peptostreptococcus Micros Using AP-PCR. Journal of Dental
Research (IADR Abstract), (1998).
Dessem. D, P. Luo, V. Switzer, R. Wong, L. Han and C. Li. (1997)
Morphology and electrical properties of retrogradely-labeled rat trigeminal
ganglion masticatory afferents. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts,
23, p.1256.
Rothman, J.R., B.Shroff, K. Norris, C.Hebert, J.C. Sumbilla,
B. Xu (1997) Apoptosis in the dental follicle during tooth eruption.
Journal of Dental Research, 76, p. 364.
Guthmiller, J.M., Kim, S.Y., Del Guercio, C.A., Zhang, M., and Marsh,
M.J. (1996). Genotypes of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans confirm
familial transmission and correlated with colonial morphology. Journal
of Dental Research, 75, p. 318.
Capra, N.F. and Peng, M. (1995). Thalamic representation of the
face and oral cavity. Journal of Dental Research, 74, p. 527.
Yang, Y., Cauley, R.K., Zhao, W., Chang, J.-D., Chang, C.K.,
and Chang,Y.-F. (1995). Demographic study of the effect of old age and
Alzheimer's disease on enzymes forming kynurenate and aminoadipate.
Amino Acids, 74, p.40.
Young, A, F. Wei, S. Zou, R. Dubner, N. Myslinski and K. Ren
(1998) Effects of four herbal extractson inflammatory pain and hyperalgesia.
Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 24, p.884.
Chang, Jeng-Daw and Y.F.Chang (1993) Kynurenic Acid in the L-a-Aminoadipic-Lesioned
Rat Hippocampus and Alzheimer's Brain. Society of Chinese Bioscientists
in America Abstracts.
B. Awards
One student's project
in our program won the top prize at the Baltimore City High School Science
Fair. One went on to present her research work at a national meeting
in Cleveland, and was also selected for an eight-week externship in
Brazil through our campus. Every year one of our students is chosen
by the Baltimore Chapter of the Society of Neuroscience as their "High
School Neuroscience Student of the Year". One of the high school
teachers returned for 3 years in his free time and worked as a part
time research assistant. He presented some of his work at the National
Science Teachers Association Convention. Part of his paper involved
the transfer of laboratory information to the high school classroom.
In 1998 four of
our students won national recognition by the Minority Trainee Research
Forum for their work in our program. They were 4 of only 26 students
chosen nationally to present their work to a national audience. Included
was an all-expense paid trip to San Diego for their presentations.
In 1999 two of our students won the Minority Trainee Research Forum
Award. One of our students presented his work at the annual meeting
of the Baltimore Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience. He won third
prize in the poster competition. He was the only high school student
competing against several dozen graduate and medical students.
In 2000, the results
of this Program were presented at the national meetings of American
Association of Dental Schools and the National Science Teachers Association.
C. Higher Education
Even after students have completed our program, our University admissions
officers and counselors are available to help them gain access to higher
education and jobs in science. Every year several students stay on in
our research labs through the rest of the year.
The success of our
Program is demonstrated by the fact that most of the graduates of our
High School Biomedical Research Program have entered and excelled in
the science programs of leading Colleges and Universities. The following
are some of these institutions.
Some institutions
that our apprentices have entered:
Harvard University
Goucher College
Columbia University University of Virginia
Johns Hopkins University Delaware State University
Georgetown University Cornell University
Mass. Institute of Tech University of North Carolina
Dartmouth University Howard University
Yale University Emory University
Penn State University North Carolina A & T University
University of Maryland University of Chicago
Xavier University Hampton University
James Madison University North Carolina State
North Carolina State University Bridge College, Virginia
Loyola University George Washington University
Northern Virginia College New York University
Coppin State University Brown University
Morgan State University Princeton University
Bryn Mawr
D. Career Choices
The college degrees to be awarded in the next millennium, the first
scientists for the twenty-first century, will go to students graduating
from high school now. The purpose of this program is to inspire young
men and women to enter the biomedical professions. At the end of the
Program, last year's apprentices were asked about their career interests.
Their first choices were as follows:
Biomedical fields
90%
Non-biomedical fields 5%
Undecided 5%
The
Future
The future of the Program is bright. It has a demonstrated history of
success. There is a high demand for it from both students and mentors.
The funds from NIH have stabilized. The addition of new funding sources
has also helped maintain a quality program. Efforts will continue to maintain
NIH funding, and to add to it from other sources. The long range goal
is to establish year round linkages between science teachers, elementary
and secondary school students, and biomedical researchers. Presently graduates
from our program are given opportunities to apply for special programs
for students of undergraduate age such as the UMBC Meyerhof Program and
the UMAB Health Careers Opportunity Programs. We are applying for other
grants in order to expand our program.
Budget
$20,000 per year
Contact
Norbert R. Myslinski
Department of OCBS
School of Dentistry
University of Maryland
666 West Baltimore St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: (410) 716-7258
Email: nrm001@dental.umaryland.edu
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Created: 9/10/2002
Last updated:11/21/02
Contact: inquiries@nist.gov
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