Information for Faculty Members

The overall goal of PREP is to support and prepare individuals from diverse backgrounds (for examples of groups underrepresented in the biomedical sciences see the Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity) to transition into and complete rigorous, research-focused doctoral degree programs (e.g., Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.) in biomedical fields. In accordance with this goal, applicant institutions should recruit postbac scholars who have expressed a strong desire to pursue research-focused doctoral degrees in the biomedical sciences, and for whom a one-year research education program would enhance their ability to transition into and complete doctoral studies. Based on the program announcement (PAR-20-066), the following list shows the essential items that must be included in PREP applications.

Institutional Profile

  • This program is limited to applications from research-intensive institutions (i.e., those with NIH research project grant (RPG) funding averaging greater than or equal to $7.5 million in total costs per year over the last three fiscal years) that have strong biomedical Ph.D. degree programs in NIGMS mission areas. That is, institutions that are eligible for MARC or IMSD are eligible to apply, but those that are eligible for U-RISE or G-RISE are not eligible. Further, NIGMS encourages applications from highly research-intensive institutions (i.e., those with an average of NIH funding greater than or equal to $20 million total costs per year over the last three fiscal years) that have a significant number of faculty mentors with active and extramurally funded research programs (e.g., R01, R35 or equivalent awards) and robust research education environments.

Research Experiences and Skills Development

  • PREP programs should generate carefully designed, individualized development plans (IDPs) within the context of a one-year research education program that will foster each participant’s development of the necessary skills to prepare the participants for rigorous doctoral training programs.
  • Postbaccalaureate scientists are expected to engage in independent, mentored research projects that will allow them to develop their own hypotheses and design experiments to test these hypotheses (75% full-time effort), and courses/workshops to develop scholarly potential and specialized research techniques that will prepare them for graduate school admissions, successful completion of the Ph.D., and careers in the biomedical research workforce (25% full-time effort).

Program Outcomes and Evaluation

  • The applications must have an evaluation or assessment plan to determine the efficacy of a given intervention by assessing program outcomes, impact and implementation. Measurable objectives should be carefully described and must have relevance to the preparation of PREP participants to complete a rigorous research-focused doctoral degree in the biomedical sciences. A strategy to monitor the career trajectory of PREP students for at least 15 years after participating in the program should be included when identifying program outcomes. NIGMS encourages grantees to make PREP participant outcomes available on the program’s website.