# UAB PREP Scholars Program

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2024 · $427,048

## Abstract

Increasing diversity of the biomedical workforce is an important national goal to which the University of
Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) contributes. UAB is an outstanding, research-intensive university,
ranking in the top 1% of all public, private, and international organizations funded by the National
Institutes of Health. UAB has a successful record of training graduate students and a strong commitment
to training doctoral students from diverse backgrounds. There are several currently active programs at
UAB to help both undergraduate students from underserved groups who aspire to doctoral careers and
graduate students who need financial support to pursue graduate study. The UAB PREP Scholars
Program (established in 2009) provides an additional pathway for a diverse pool of postbaccalaureate
applicants to enter doctoral programs in the biomedical sciences. The UAB PREP Scholars Program will
provide individuals that lack the necessary experience and qualifications for admittance into doctoral
graduate programs with significant financial and academic support, research experience, and
educational and professional development training to increase their competitiveness for entry into
biomedical-related doctoral graduate programs and ensure success in completing their Ph.D. degrees.
UAB offers an outstanding environment for PREP Scholars to achieve their goals and successfully enter
and complete high quality graduate programs. The Objectives of the UAB PREP Scholars Program are:
I. Meet financial needs for support of PREP Scholars during their training; II. Provide activities to prepare
PREP Scholars for success as doctoral students- provide individual development plans and other
activities to prepare them for the rigors of doctoral education; III. Provide individual support, guidance,
and encouragement for Scholars to increase their preparedness and self-reliance required for success
in Graduate School; IV. Match each PREP Scholar with an NIH-funded mentor committed to providing
them with a high-quality research experience crucial to their entry into a top graduate program; V.
Immerse PREP Scholars locally within the UAB biomedical science community and nationally by
attending ABRCMS; VI. Expand PREP Scholars’ professional networks to promote their sense of
community and confidence in their chosen field; and VII. Assist each Scholar in planning and applying
to biomedical PhD programs. These objectives were designed to meet previously identified needs of
those from historically marginalized communities interested in pursuing advanced training in the
biomedical sciences. Our Research Education Program Plan will provide essential training and skills
necessary to successfully matriculate into high quality biomedical doctoral graduate PhD programs. Our
overall goal for the UAB PREP Scholars Program is for 75% of participants to both enter and complete
biomedical doctoral graduate programs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10771806
- **Project number:** 2R25GM086256-14
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Cristin F Gavin
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $427,048
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2009-04-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10771806

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10771806, UAB PREP Scholars Program (2R25GM086256-14). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10771806. Licensed CC0.

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