Student Recruitment Retention & Cultural Development

Summer Biomedical Research Program (SBRP)

The VCDI developed the SBRP with the goal of exposing undergraduates (including those belonging to underrepresented groups) to the graduate programs at the BSOM. The SBRP provides students with an opportunity to conduct research in BSOM and Vidant Health laboratories. In addition, the VCDI provides career development and mentoring activities for the students throughout the program. It is our hope that exposure to this program will encourage these students to apply to our graduate or medical programs.

For more information about the SBRP please contact Dr. Rukiyah Van Dross vandrossr@ecu.edu or visit Summer Biomedical Research Program.

M4 Transition to Residency

Cultural Competency Revisited: The goal of this presentation is to reinforce the practice of culturally sensitive medicine. Examples of potential cultural insensitivities are collected from clinical faculty and residents and then presented to the students for discussion.

Medical Student Diversity Representatives and Class Presidents

Beginning in 2011, a subcommittee of VCDI members met with the Diversity Representatives and Class Presidents from the M1-M4 classes. The purpose of this meeting is to develop a relationship with the students, identify potential diversity issues and to learn the student’s opinion of the diversity programming at BSOM. This meeting will be held at least annually to ensure that student diversity issues are addressed.

Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS)

The VCDI often attends the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) meeting to recruit undergraduate students belonging to underrepresented groups to BSOM graduate programs, medical programs and the Summer Biomedical Research Program. Students who attend this conference are participants in various biomedical research programs funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The goal of the ABRCMS meeting is to provide a venue for students to present findings from summer research conducted at research intensive institutions. In addition, this conference provides career development opportunities through various recruitment efforts. For more information please visit the ABRCMS web site.