# UAB PREP Scholars Program

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2023 · $266,201

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a comprehensive research university and
medical complex with $243 million of NIH-funded research in 2015. UAB has a strong commitment to
training undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented
minorities, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and students with disabilities. UAB has
established and supported several programs to help such students meet their career goals.
 Some potential graduate students make a decision to pursue doctoral education too late in their
undergraduate career. These students may have already attained their baccalaureate degrees, but do
not have the credentials for entry into top biomedical graduate programs where prior research
experience and high standardized test scores are essential criteria for admittance. We have identified
several potential pools from which to recruit such students. Our PREP program will continue to provide
opportunities to these students who need to strengthen their credentials for entry into doctoral
education. Based on our past accomplishments (8/11 past scholars now enrolled in doctoral graduate
programs), UAB provides a fertile training ground to prepare PREP scholars for entry into the most
competitive graduate training programs.
 Our overall goal is to recruit 8 students per year and to provide them a high quality research
experience in the laboratories of NIH-funded mentors and multiple academic enrichment opportunities
to equip them to be competitive for entry into biomedical graduate programs at top NIH-funded
institutions. The students will work with their mentors to develop a challenging research project at which
they will spend 80% or more of their time. An individual development plan (IDP) will also be designed
for each student, to address any academic weaknesses that might affect success in future graduate
attainment. The IDP will provide activities to strengthen writing and quantitative skills, provide career
information, develop presentation skills, discuss research ethics, and foster networking with peers at
scientific meetings, such as the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. The
PREP Scholar's progress toward meeting the goals of their IDP will be monitored at least quarterly in
meetings with Dr. Engler and their research mentor. The program will also provide opportunities for the
scholars to interact with graduate students and student organizations (such as the Black Graduate
Student Association), to build a sense of community and support for the scholars.
 We expect that continuing the already successful PREP Scholars program at UAB will increase the
number of minority applicants who are well prepared for entry into top doctoral programs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10752032
- **Project number:** 3R25GM086256-13S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Cristin F Gavin
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $266,201
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2009-04-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10752032

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10752032, UAB PREP Scholars Program (3R25GM086256-13S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10752032. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*