# Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP)

> **NIH NIH R25** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2024 · $330,799

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The long term goal of Mount Sinai’s Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (Mount Sinai PREP) is
to make a significant contribution to increasing the number of biomedical scientists from underrepresented
minority groups, socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds or those who are challenged by a disability.
We aim to prepare recent college graduates from these groups to enroll and succeed in competitive PhD and
MD/PhD programs, and then complete postdoctoral or residency/fellowship training before entering careers in
which they can contribute to biomedical research, drug development, or research on health and health care
disparities. Now in its 21st year, Mount Sinai PREP alumni have garnered over 30 PhD degrees. During their
predoctoral work, 29 Mount Sinai PREP alumni were supported by traineeships on T32 training grants, 14
were awarded F31 fellowships and many other prestigious fellowships were obtained, e.g. 3 UNCF/Merck
awards. All the PREP alumni who completed PhD programs to date have entered postdoctoral work: 23 in
academic settings, with prestigious fellowships including the CDC Infectious Disease Fellowship and HHMI Life
Sciences Award; 1 at NIAID, with an IRTA award; 1 at the FDA with an FDA Commissioner’s award; and 1 who
pursued postdoctoral work at GlaxoSmithKline. Enhanced recruitment efforts, program evaluation (self-
evaluation and external evaluation) and ongoing program development have enabled the program to achieve
and benefit from a large applicant pool and maintain an accept/enter ratio between 1 and 1.2. Central
strategies of Mount Sinai PREP include the following. We strive to ensure that each PREP scholar has a
laboratory placement with an excellent faculty research mentor, supportive peer mentors, and an opportunity to
work on a cutting-edge project of interest that develops analytical, conceptual and technical skills. We expect
PREP scholars to integrate into laboratory activities such as lab meetings, journal clubs, and department
seminars and works-in-progress presentations. They are also expected to integrate into the PREP community
and activities such as workshops that build research, presentation, writing skills, or initiate a discussion of
psychosocial well-being. PREP activities also include peer-led WIPs/Journal Clubs, lunches with advisors and
guests with interesting paths to share, and encounters with PREP alumni. We further promote their integration
into activities of the PhD, MD/PhD and master’s student community of the Graduate School, which whom
PREP scholars interact in courses, seminars, and both outreach and social activities. The Program joins a
Regional PREP Symposium, at which the PREP scholars present their work and network. The Program
maintains close touch with PREP alumni through emails, reunions, and alumni visits.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10772732
- **Project number:** 2R25GM064118-23
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** Kirk N Campbell
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $330,799
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2001-08-01 → 2025-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10772732

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10772732, Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) (2R25GM064118-23). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10772732. Licensed CC0.

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