# CWRU Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program

> **NIH NIH R25** · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $301,431

## Abstract

The US population is becoming increasingly diverse, but that is not reflected in the current biomedical
research workforce. The National Institutes of Health is concerned by this lack of diversity and has
established a variety of supportive mechanisms to ensure that workforce diversity is representative of
the diversity in American society. One important NIH diversity initiative is the Postbaccalaureate
Research Education Program or PREP. The overall goal of PREP is to develop recent baccalaureate
science graduates from diverse backgrounds under-represented in biomedical sciences so that they
have the necessary knowledge and skills to pursue PhD or MD-PhD degrees in these fields. Case
Western Reserve University was awarded PREP funding beginning in 2007. The program, termed
CasePREP, has been notably successful, matriculating 54 Scholars into upper-tier PhD or MD/PhD
programs across the nation. The current proposal seeks to continue this program by funding eight
Case PREP Scholars each year for an additional 5 years. The key components of CasePREP involve
individually tailored graduate coursework, professional credentials enhancement, well-crafted
experiential skill development, immersion in the PhD student experience, and extensive exposure to
biomedical research. Indeed, Case PREP Scholars complete a one-year apprenticeship in CWRU
School of Medicine faculty laboratories located throughout many of our 14 PhD-granting programs.
PREP mentor laboratories are well funded, dynamic, and led by experienced mentors with substantial
minority training experience. In addition, Case PREP Scholars will complete graduate level
coursework, GRE preparation experiences, professional skills development, and other enrichment
activities. These core developmental experiences are designed to further strengthen a student's
scholarly potential and improve their research skills, ultimately leading to their matriculation into and
completion of rigorous biomedical doctoral degree programs across the nation. Important outcome
assessments will show improved graduate school application credentials, enhanced research and
presentation skills, improved attitudes about research careers, and greater than 75% success rates in
PREP Scholar matriculation into PhD programs and completion of the PhD degree, respectively.
Importantly, one of the main outcomes is for Case PREP to continue improving diversity in the
biomedical PhD programs at CWRU and across the nation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9854052
- **Project number:** 2R25GM075207-14
- **Recipient organization:** CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** PAUL N MACDONALD
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $301,431
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2006-08-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9854052

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9854052, CWRU Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (2R25GM075207-14). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9854052. Licensed CC0.

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