An Institutional Approach to Student Diversity:An Institutional Approach to Student Diversity:

A Centralized Organization Structure which A Centralized Organization Structure which Retains Local ResponsibilityRetains Local Responsibility

Richard McGee, Ph.D.Richard McGee, Ph.D.

Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Mayo Graduate SchoolAssociate Dean for Student Affairs, Mayo Graduate School

Director, Office of Minority Student Affairs, Mayo ClinicDirector, Office of Minority Student Affairs, Mayo Clinic

Challenges faced in 1991Challenges faced in 1991

• Mayo Clinic not known as a graduate training program Mayo Clinic not known as a graduate training program among minority among minority oror majority students majority students

• No undergraduate school in RochesterNo undergraduate school in Rochester

• Mayo Clinic not on the radar screen for minority Mayo Clinic not on the radar screen for minority students or faculty advisorsstudents or faculty advisors

• Rochester was a small, homogeneous cityRochester was a small, homogeneous city

• Faculty and staff had little experience interacting with Faculty and staff had little experience interacting with traditional underrepresented groupstraditional underrepresented groups

• Minority enrollment close to zeroMinority enrollment close to zero

The Context - Mayo Clinic RochesterThe Context - Mayo Clinic Rochester

• Location - Rochester, MinnesotaLocation - Rochester, Minnesota

• Population 68,000 (now 86,0000) - otherwise ruralPopulation 68,000 (now 86,0000) - otherwise rural

• Mayo Graduate School ~ 120 PhD students (integrated Mayo Graduate School ~ 120 PhD students (integrated core curriculum with 7 PhD fields)core curriculum with 7 PhD fields)

• Mayo Medical School - 128 MD students (34/year)Mayo Medical School - 128 MD students (34/year)

• MD/PhD program ~ 40 students (6/year)MD/PhD program ~ 40 students (6/year)

• School of Health-Related Sciences ~ 300 studentsSchool of Health-Related Sciences ~ 300 students

• Research postdocs - 350-400Research postdocs - 350-400

• Graduate School of Medicine ~ 900 clinical residentsGraduate School of Medicine ~ 900 clinical residents

• About 130 primary research facultyAbout 130 primary research faculty

Rochester is Rapidly Changing!Rochester is Rapidly Changing!

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• Since 1990 Rochester has Since 1990 Rochester has grown from 68,000 to 86,000grown from 68,000 to 86,000

• Minority population has Minority population has grown from ~6% to 13.7%grown from ~6% to 13.7%

• Public school minority Public school minority students increased from students increased from 8.9% to 18.7%8.9% to 18.7%

• 22.1% minority students K-522.1% minority students K-5• 56 different first languages56 different first languages

Organizational Structure for Education Organizational Structure for Education at Mayo Clinicat Mayo Clinic

• Accredited PhD, MD and MS degree-granting Accredited PhD, MD and MS degree-granting authorityauthority

• Governing Body is the Education Committee - Governing Body is the Education Committee - Includes Director for Education (~Provost), Includes Director for Education (~Provost), Deans of each school, other faculty and Deans of each school, other faculty and administratorsadministrators

• Each School governed by a Dean and a school Each School governed by a Dean and a school Education CommitteeEducation Committee

Minority Student Affairs Began in 1991 Minority Student Affairs Began in 1991 Structure/DesignStructure/Design

• Central Office of Minority Student Affairs - VirtualCentral Office of Minority Student Affairs - Virtual• Coordinates activities across all four Mayo schoolsCoordinates activities across all four Mayo schools• Primary focus on developing a pool of science-oriented Primary focus on developing a pool of science-oriented

students interested in research or clinical medicinestudents interested in research or clinical medicine• Attendance at all major minority student meetings and Attendance at all major minority student meetings and

relationships with minority-serving schoolsrelationships with minority-serving schools• Series of developmental, non-degree programs to bring Series of developmental, non-degree programs to bring

Mayo Clinic onto the radar screen of minority studentsMayo Clinic onto the radar screen of minority students• Aggressive elevation of visibility (marketing)Aggressive elevation of visibility (marketing)

Minority Student Affairs Began in 1991 Minority Student Affairs Began in 1991 Structure/DesignStructure/Design

• Each School retains responsibility for sustaining an Each School retains responsibility for sustaining an effort to recruit and promote success of effort to recruit and promote success of underrepresented minority studentsunderrepresented minority students

• No special programs for enrolled students - philosophy No special programs for enrolled students - philosophy of meeting needs of all students with flexibility in of meeting needs of all students with flexibility in curricula if needed and wherever possiblecurricula if needed and wherever possible

• Education leadership clear about the value and Education leadership clear about the value and importance of diversity, and financial support for the importance of diversity, and financial support for the Office and programsOffice and programs

• Faculty buy-in good but not universalFaculty buy-in good but not universal

Minority Student ProgramsMinority Student Programs

• SURF program (70-100 students) usually has 25-30% SURF program (70-100 students) usually has 25-30% minority studentsminority students

• Mayo Minority Scholars program - 2-year expanded Mayo Minority Scholars program - 2-year expanded SURF experience focused on “Faculty Development”SURF experience focused on “Faculty Development”

• Several summer programs for minority medical Several summer programs for minority medical students to increase visibility and overall diversitystudents to increase visibility and overall diversity

• Philosophy that overall diversity among students, Philosophy that overall diversity among students, residents and postdocs helps the graduate schoolresidents and postdocs helps the graduate school

Mayo Clinic Initiative for Minority Student DevelopmentMayo Clinic Initiative for Minority Student DevelopmentTraining in Patient-Oriented and Translational ResearchTraining in Patient-Oriented and Translational Research

• Funded since 1996 by NIGMS Minority Biomedical Funded since 1996 by NIGMS Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS-IMSD) programResearch Support (MBRS-IMSD) program

• Currently funded at about $570,000/yearCurrently funded at about $570,000/year• Co-Directed by R. McGee, PhD and G. Poland, MDCo-Directed by R. McGee, PhD and G. Poland, MD• Mission is to guide student development toward basic and Mission is to guide student development toward basic and

clinical research careers - and recruitment to Mayo!clinical research careers - and recruitment to Mayo!• Hypothesis - some minority students more likely to persist Hypothesis - some minority students more likely to persist

toward research careers if they see the value of researchtoward research careers if they see the value of research• Also trying to develop model for early identification and Also trying to develop model for early identification and

motivation of clinical investigatorsmotivation of clinical investigators

IMSD ComponentsIMSD Components

• Summer research for minority undergraduates (SURF) and Summer research for minority undergraduates (SURF) and medical students - key weekly group meetingmedical students - key weekly group meeting

• Postbaccalaureate Research Assistantships - whole new Postbaccalaureate Research Assistantships - whole new model to increase minority student persistence toward model to increase minority student persistence toward research careers - about 10 total/yearresearch careers - about 10 total/year

• Small number of pre-doc positionsSmall number of pre-doc positions• Fellowships (1 or 2 years) for medical students to complete Fellowships (1 or 2 years) for medical students to complete

Certificate or Masters in Clinical Research - 2-4/yearCertificate or Masters in Clinical Research - 2-4/year• Joint MD/PhD program with the University of Puerto Rico, Joint MD/PhD program with the University of Puerto Rico,

School of Medicine - 1 with hopes for moreSchool of Medicine - 1 with hopes for more

Postbaccalaureate Research ProgramPostbaccalaureate Research Program(MARC-PREP now available)(MARC-PREP now available)

• For underrepresented minority students and others committed to For underrepresented minority students and others committed to minority health research issues - at least 10/yearminority health research issues - at least 10/year

• 1 or 2 years of research before PhD, MD/PhD or MD programs1 or 2 years of research before PhD, MD/PhD or MD programs• Paid as 75% Laboratory Technician ($21,000 annual salary)Paid as 75% Laboratory Technician ($21,000 annual salary)• Eligible for medical insurance and other employee benefitsEligible for medical insurance and other employee benefits• Core Curriculum plus options for other graduate coursesCore Curriculum plus options for other graduate courses

- - Clinical Research Protocol Development (lab research option)- 2 creditsClinical Research Protocol Development (lab research option)- 2 credits

- Biostatistics in Clinical Research - 2 credits- Biostatistics in Clinical Research - 2 credits

- Responsible Conduct of Research - 1 credit- Responsible Conduct of Research - 1 credit

- Clinical Epidemiology - 1 credit (optional)- Clinical Epidemiology - 1 credit (optional)

• For details see the poster - effective but plenty of challengesFor details see the poster - effective but plenty of challenges

So has it worked?So has it worked?

• Graduate School averaging about 12-15% Graduate School averaging about 12-15% underrepresented minorities but highly variable underrepresented minorities but highly variable from year to yearfrom year to year

• Medical school averaging about 15%Medical school averaging about 15%• MD/PhD - highly variable since so smallMD/PhD - highly variable since so small• Clinical residencies about 8-10%Clinical residencies about 8-10%• Faculty supportive and open to student needsFaculty supportive and open to student needs• Very high fraction of students succeedVery high fraction of students succeed

Other outcomes and benefitsOther outcomes and benefits

• Mayo Graduate School has become much Mayo Graduate School has become much more visible among minority students and their more visible among minority students and their advisorsadvisors

• Providing students for T32 training grants in Providing students for T32 training grants in Molecular Neuroscience, Tumor Biology, Molecular Neuroscience, Tumor Biology, ImmunologyImmunology