Future applicants with under-represented identities in science and medicine (URiM) are experiencing significant setbacks in applying to combined degree programs this year and beyond. This problem has been significantly exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Virtual Summer Research Program (VSRP) through the American Physician Scientists Association (APSA), a program led by the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion committee, is hoping to bridge this gap, and we need your help!
In 2020 we paired 150+ mentors, principal investigators and graduate students with premedical and pre-graduate trainees for mentored research experiences. In 2021, we are hoping to pair 200 URiMs (we anticipate 600+ will apply). Ultimately, we hope to increase diversity by expanding access to dual degree programs to those whose previous research experience was limited by socio-economic factors–and for this, we are asking graduate students, post-docs, and principal investigators in any lab or research group to sign up as mentors for this virtual research experience from June 14th to August 6th 2021. Visit https://www.physicianscientists.org/page/VSRP-2021 to learn more and sign up (note that your PI must sign-off although non-PIs can certainly mentor!). The deadline is May 1st, 11:59pm.
If we want the next generation of scientists to be diverse, we must participate in uplifting URiM applicants that are facing compounded roadblocks due to COVID-19 and ongoing racial and economic disparities that plague our nation. If you are asking yourself, what can I do to increase diversity in biomedical research? Well, this!
