The IMSD program is designed to increase the participation of under-represented groups in the biomedical sciences.

The 2012 IMSD program participants

IMSD Scholars receive the following benefits from the program:

1. Payment of tuition, fees and health insurance by the grant for a period of at least 12 months (after that your financial support will come from one or more other sources)
2. Financial support for travel to colleges or universities for the purpose of presenting your research
3. Ability to obtain essential career development tools to assist you with the transition to the next career step after the PhD by attending professional development workshops
4. Gaining knowledge about issues pertaining to diversity and how to enhance diversity in the scientific community

To apply for a position on this grant you must be a PhD student of any race or ethnicity (US citizen or Permanent Resident) who has shown a strong commitment to enhancing diversity or who is a member of a group that is under-represented in biomedical and biobehavioral research. These include:

• Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown to be under-represented in doctoral level health-related sciences on a national basis
• Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or from disadvantaged backgrounds

The components of the program include:

1. A pre-matriculation, four-week summer refresher course from mid July to mid August.
2. Serving as a Graduate Student Advisor to a summer undergraduate research participant and a new PhD graduate student once you have completed the first year of the PhD program
3. Working with an IMSD Mentoring Committee member to ensure progress through graduate school and preparation for post-doctoral career plans
4. Participating in the Diversity in Science course (required for all new PhD students).

If you are interested please contact Dr. Cynthia Wright at wrightcf@musc.edu, or at:
MUSC College of Graduate Studies
68 President St, BE101
MSC 501
Charleston, SC 29425-5010

If you receive a position on the grant you must participate in all IMSD programmatic activities during your time as a PhD student. If you have any questions please contact Dr. Wright.