Postbaccalaureate terminal degree and career choices of students who performed undergraduate research

Abstract

This study analyzed terminal degree and career choices of students who performed undergraduate research. In one analysis, the study compared terminal degree and career choices between a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) and traditional non-course-based undergraduate research experiences at one primarily undergraduate institution (PUI). Students who pursued postbaccalaureate programs chose terminal degrees at levels exceeding 75%, with no significant difference between a CURE experience and a traditional research experience. Analysis of terminal degree and career choices at four PUIs providing traditional research experiences showed a marked difference in the number of students pursuing terminal degrees. Two PUIs showed rates > 75%, whereas students at the other two PUIs pursued terminal degrees <50% of the time. The majority of students not pursuing terminal degrees chose M.S. degrees in education and healthcare. An analysis was also performed among students participating in traditional summer undergraduate research on a research-intensive university (RIU) campus with a medical school. Students were accepted from two programs, an NIH IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program recruiting students from the RIU and an NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program recruiting undergraduates from rural PUIs and minority-serving institutions, particularly tribal colleges. Analysis showed that >70% of the students who pursued postbaccalaureate programs chose terminal degrees. INBRE undergraduates displayed a marked preference for the M.D. degree (73.9% vs. 17.4%), whereas the REU students chose the Ph.D. degree (75.0% vs. 22.9%). American Indian students were also analyzed separately for career choice and showed an equal preference for the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees when pursuing postbaccalaureate education. Overall, the results provide evidence that undergraduate student research stimulates student careers in areas needed by the nation’s citizen stakeholders.

Development of a clinical and translational research curriculum for undergraduate students

“…Participation in research and mentorship during undergraduate years is known to have a powerful influence on career selection in scientific and engineering fields [1][2][3][4]. Undergraduate research opportunities have traditionally been linked to basic science laboratories [5,6]. While summer undergraduate biomedical research programs exist in many academic health centers across the USA, many of these are laboratory based, highlight a specific disease focus or research discipline and are not necessarily affiliated with Clinical and Translational Science Awards at their respective institutions [7].…”

Why do you choose this program?—A decision-making model of medical students based on grounded theory

“…Top-notch talent enrollment and cultivation have recently been a hot topic in China's higher education. To attract more students to careers in scientific research areas via undergraduate research [1], N University launched a major undergraduate program reform named the "National Key Laboratory" Program (hereinafter referred to as NKL) in 2018. NKL utilizes the National Key Reproductive Medicine Laboratory's resources to expose undergraduates to more scientific research as early as possible.…”