Comparing mentored research experiences for undergraduates across institutional contexts
Abstract Background: Mentored undergraduate research experiences (UREs) can play a critical role in developing science identity and skills, especially for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. This study investigates science identity and responsibility for scientific roles among...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical and Translational Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059866125000597/type/journal_article |
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| author | Jazzmine K. Waugh MacKenzie J. Gray Sanya Surya Thomas E. Keller |
| author_facet | Jazzmine K. Waugh MacKenzie J. Gray Sanya Surya Thomas E. Keller |
| author_sort | Jazzmine K. Waugh |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
Background:
Mentored undergraduate research experiences (UREs) can play a critical role in developing science identity and skills, especially for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. This study investigates science identity and responsibility for scientific roles among scholars in a program aiming to diversify the biomedical workforce. Scholars were placed in UREs at either their home institution (a minority-serving institution [MSI]) or at a research-intensive medical institution with a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA).
Methods:
We analyze data from surveys administered annually to the scholars. We first compare changes in science identity for scholars placed at the MSI and the CTSA site from the term after the scholar started their URE to one year later. We then analyze differences in responsibility in scientific roles performed by scholars at the two institutions.
Results:
We found evidence of gains in science identity after a year for scholars placed at both institutions but of a somewhat larger magnitude at the CTSA site. However, no significant differences were observed across institutions on science identity at the endpoint. An exploration of scientific roles suggests that scholars at the CTSA site assumed more responsibility in roles related to data curation and analysis, while scholars at the MSI had higher responsibility for resource acquisition-related roles.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that CTSA site URE placements may offer distinct opportunities for both identity formation and skill development beyond placements at home institutions. Overall, these results suggest opportunities for partnerships between MSIs and CTSA sites in the training of biomedical researchers.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-92fda395503c4c80ae03106738da48fb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2059-8661 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical and Translational Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-92fda395503c4c80ae03106738da48fb2025-08-20T01:51:25ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Clinical and Translational Science2059-86612025-01-01910.1017/cts.2025.59Comparing mentored research experiences for undergraduates across institutional contextsJazzmine K. Waugh0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0598-2827MacKenzie J. Gray1Sanya Surya2Thomas E. Keller3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9198-5073Portland State University, Portland, OR, USAPortland State University, Portland, OR, USAPortland State University, Portland, OR, USA Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USAPortland State University, Portland, OR, USA Abstract Background: Mentored undergraduate research experiences (UREs) can play a critical role in developing science identity and skills, especially for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. This study investigates science identity and responsibility for scientific roles among scholars in a program aiming to diversify the biomedical workforce. Scholars were placed in UREs at either their home institution (a minority-serving institution [MSI]) or at a research-intensive medical institution with a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA). Methods: We analyze data from surveys administered annually to the scholars. We first compare changes in science identity for scholars placed at the MSI and the CTSA site from the term after the scholar started their URE to one year later. We then analyze differences in responsibility in scientific roles performed by scholars at the two institutions. Results: We found evidence of gains in science identity after a year for scholars placed at both institutions but of a somewhat larger magnitude at the CTSA site. However, no significant differences were observed across institutions on science identity at the endpoint. An exploration of scientific roles suggests that scholars at the CTSA site assumed more responsibility in roles related to data curation and analysis, while scholars at the MSI had higher responsibility for resource acquisition-related roles. Conclusion: These results suggest that CTSA site URE placements may offer distinct opportunities for both identity formation and skill development beyond placements at home institutions. Overall, these results suggest opportunities for partnerships between MSIs and CTSA sites in the training of biomedical researchers. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059866125000597/type/journal_articleMentoringCTSAdiversitybiomedical workforcescience identityundergraduate research experiences |
| spellingShingle | Jazzmine K. Waugh MacKenzie J. Gray Sanya Surya Thomas E. Keller Comparing mentored research experiences for undergraduates across institutional contexts Journal of Clinical and Translational Science Mentoring CTSA diversity biomedical workforce science identity undergraduate research experiences |
| title | Comparing mentored research experiences for undergraduates across institutional contexts |
| title_full | Comparing mentored research experiences for undergraduates across institutional contexts |
| title_fullStr | Comparing mentored research experiences for undergraduates across institutional contexts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparing mentored research experiences for undergraduates across institutional contexts |
| title_short | Comparing mentored research experiences for undergraduates across institutional contexts |
| title_sort | comparing mentored research experiences for undergraduates across institutional contexts |
| topic | Mentoring CTSA diversity biomedical workforce science identity undergraduate research experiences |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059866125000597/type/journal_article |
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