https://medschool.duke.edu/about-us/diversity-and-inclusion/ideals-office/biocore-program
BioCoRE is a program designed to unify and enrich the bioscience community across the School of Medicine. A primary goal is to increase the diversity of scientists in the biosciences, which starts with promoting the holistic development of scholars throughout their PhD training at Duke.
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
- Early Start- first-year PhD students who are selected as BioCoRE Scholars arrive on campus in August, prior to the official start of their PhD program. Throughout the month, Scholars engage in laboratory research, a graduate-level short course, career development sessions, and community-building activities to facilitate a smooth transition into their PhD program.
- IDEALS Office Monthly Career & Professional Development workshops to expose the “hidden curriculum of the PhD process
- IDEALS Office Monthly D&I coffee chats and journal clubs to discuss issues and academic literature about D&I work in STEM
- Prelim Prep Group: provides those preparing for their preliminary exam a support network of peers also preparing for their exam to exchange questions, suggestions, and resources. Scholars have the opportunity to do a safe, no-stakes practice talk among the more senior post-prelim students and faculty, who provide constructive feedback a few weeks in advance of the scheduled exam.
- Peer Mentoring program & one-on-one advising with BioCoRE Program Director
- What Makes Me a Scientist series: features scientists within and beyond Duke who share their professional journey and discuss personal and national current DEI efforts
- Annual STEM Diversity and Inclusion Retreat: centered on building an inclusive community of research scholars across the STEM disciplines at Duke. The purpose of the retreat is to step away from research to recharge by engaging in conversations about the graduate experience, receiving encouragement and inspiration from speakers, building relationships and community with peers, and enjoying time away.
BioCore selects incoming PhD students (first year only) and supports them through the duration of their PhD. The program application opens annually to first-year PhD students only.
ELIGIBILITY. This program is for…
- Duke School of Medicine PhD Students
The program encourages applications from individuals who identify as belonging to any of the following groups:
- Communities that are historically underrepresented in STEM fields
- First-generation (college-bound or currently enrolled in higher education)
- Historically or socioeconomically disadvantaged
- LGBTQIA+
- Individuals committed to increasing equity & inclusion
- Black or African American
- Hispanic, Latino/a, or of Spanish origin
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
- Native Alaskan or Native American
For questions, contact claire.patterson@duke.edu.
PROGRAM SUPPORT
This program was established in 2013 and is housed within Duke University School of Medicine. Duke BioCoRE was initially funded by the National Institutes of Health Research Education Program (NIH-R25) IMSD from 2013 to 2019 and was later institutionalized via funding from the Duke University School of Medicine.
For questions about funding and other forms of support for this program, contact:
- Johnna Frierson, Ph.D. (johnna.frierson@duke.edu).
