The overall goal of the Fisk-Vanderbilt R25 Bridge to the Biomedical PhD Program (R25-BMP) is to provide research experiences, coursework and professional development training to assure at least 70% of trainees transition to PhD granting programs at Vanderbilt or other institutions nationally, and more than 80% of those who transition to the PhD complete the degree. This proposal adds a number of innovative strategies to the original R25 programming, based on lessons learned, including: 1) direct linkage of the Biomedical Track in the Fisk Master’s phase to Vanderbilt’s Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, specifically the embedded Vanderbilt Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) Program, linked to 16 possible bio-medically relevant PhD-granting programs; 2) embedding incoming Master’s trainees in IMSD student led data/journal clubs the Fall of their first year; 3) participation in the Bio-regulation course, required of all VU biomedical PhD programs, during year two of the Master’s for PhD-level credit for students who earn a B or higher; 4) National Networking Liaisons at research focused institutions where our Biomedical Bridge trainees have transitioned previously and/or whose research areas align with the Master’s phase research, and 5) IMSD peer mentors connected to Master’s phase trainees from the start of their first year.