Novel BIPOC+ Next-Generation Summer Neuroscience Research Internship Initiative
Ka-Ho Wong1, Emily Dennis1, Lilly fagatele1, Kacey Madsen1, Megan Mckay1, Elise Longnecker1, Annie Fukushima1, Gloria Slattum1, Stephanie Lyden1, Kathleen Digre1, Michelle Miranda1, Elisabeth Wilde1, Karla Figueroa1, Abby Forrest2, Amir Arain1, Laura Beeler1, Marissa Castillo3, Trieste Francis1, Nicholas Frost4, Sama Gilandehi1, Crystal Neate1, Angela Peters1, Sarah Shapiro5, Stefan Pulst1, John Rose6, Adam De Havenon7, Stacey Clardy1
1University of Utah, 2University of Utah Department of Neurology, 3U of U Neurology Clinic, 4UNIVERSITY OF UTAH NEUROLOGY, 5Sarah Shapiro, 6Imaging and Neurosciences Center, 7Yale University
Objective:
To describe a novel Black, Indigenous, and People of Color+ (BIPOC+) next-generation neuroscience research internship (BNRI) initiative at the University of Utah.
Background:
BIPOC+ communities include over 40% of the total U.S population. In contrast to national trends, only a small number of the BIPOC+ populations are represented in the fields of neurology and neuroscience. A study conducted by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) data suggested that from 2011-2019, a total of 9.0% of neurology residents identified as BIPOC+. This ongoing project aims to provide a foundational experience for BIPOC+ students in the field of neurology.
Design/Methods:
A pilot BNRI twelve-week summer internship was launched in 2022 through the University of Utah Neurology Department Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Leadership (IDEAL) committee. BNRI assigned individual interns to a research project with a neurologist/neuroscientist as a mentor and study staff as a direct supervisor. Additionally, interns attended biweekly neuroscience lectures, took part in clinical shadowing, participated in community health engagement projects, and attended professional development sessions. To further assess the intern's knowledge of neurological disorders, participants completed a 35-point pre- and post-assessment survey of neurological knowledge.
Results:
Of the 10 interns (8 high school students and 2 first-semester undergraduate students) enrolled in BNRI, the class self-identified as 3 Asian, 3 Southeast Asian, 2 LatinX, and 2 Black with 9 identified as females. The mean (SD) score of the pre-assessments is 11.1 (0.7), and the post-assessments is 22.3 (1.1). Interns completed their projects and presented them at the University of Utah Undergraduate Research Symposium hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research; several interns will submit their projects to the 2023 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in Boston.
Conclusions:
BNRI is an EDI program providing exposure to foundational neuroscience and health care field exposure with a neurologic emphasis on next-generation in the BIPOC+ community.