A Bridges to Baccalaureate Degree Program
The Blazing to Biomedical Careers (BBC) program provides an entrance into advanced biomedical research careers for students in area community colleges. It is part of a larger
National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative to lessen the disparities that currently exist, i.e., the large percentage of underrepresented individuals who do not have access to advanced biomedical training and careers. BBC assists students to earn a baccalaureate degree in biomedical or behavioral sciences so that they can pursue advanced education and entry into a career in biomedical research. The program has the special mission of increase the participation of groups who have faced challenging social, economic, educational, cultural or other difficult life circumstances in science professions.
About the Program
BBC includes both school year and summer opportunities that will prepare you to succeed in biomedical and behavioral careers. The school year courses in your freshman and sophomore years at community college will provide you with training to excel at UAB and beyond. This will include classes in biomedical research methods, research ethics and reading/writing and reviewing of scientific research papers.
The research phase consists of students spending a 9 week internship each summer (40 hours per week) carrying out a research project in the laboratory of one of UAB's funded biomedical researchers. The research will be designed in part by the student, who is then expected to develop a presentation for a national meeting and eventually be author on a biomedical research journal paper. This component also provides the student with the opportunity to meet and network with other undergraduate students from colleges across the United States and the world.
The research phase can continue into the academic year, in which case the student will receive additional compensation.
Following graduation student will continue college at UAB, with a high potential from related scholarships there.
Benefits
- Ten week paid summer research internship at UAB ($5,000)
- Up to $1,000 research extension during the school year
- An adviser that follows your progress until you graduate from LSCC and a mentor throughout your final two years at UAB
- Research experience with the expectation of having at least one publication prior to graduating from UAB
- Travel to national research conferences to present your research
- Scholarship opportunities upon transferring to UAB as a Bridges graduate
- Networking with internationally known researchers
- United States citizen or permanent resident
- Must be considering a biomedical or behavioral career
- Intend to complete 2 full years at a community college with GPA of 3.0 and then transfer to UAB
- Open to high school senior planning on entering LSCC or JSCC as freshman the following school year
- Must maintain 3.0 GPA at JSCC or LSCC
- Must be a full-time student
- Commit to completing two summer research internships
- Must participate in a UAB course each semester
J. Michael Wyss, PhD
UAB BBC Director
933 19th Street South (CHSB 503)
Birmingham, AL 35294-2041
Phone - (205) 934-5171
Fax - (205) 934-5158
Email - CCORD@uab.edu
Tracey L. Wilson, PhD
UAB BBC Program Coordinator at Lawson State Community College
(205) 929-6482
Email: twilson@lawsonstate.edu
Nicholas Kin, PhD
UAB BBC Program Coordinator at Jefferson State Community College
nkin@jeffstateonline.com
(205)812-2777