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6. MINORITIES IN THE: BIOMEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
The identification and development of science talent is important
for the future vitality of scientific research. In the past, white males
have constituted a disproportionately large share of the pool of students
prepared for science careers. The talents of those outside that pool,
i.e., minorities and women, have thereby been lost to science and either
have been applied to other areas or remained undeveloped because of
limited education or because no effort was made to identify those with
talent and interest them in science careers. Because academic ability is
not limited to white male students, full development of the nation's
science talent means identifying that ability and encouraging an interest
in science among minority and nonminority students of both sexes.
Furthermore, this development is essential because demographic
trends show that in the next 20 years minorities will constitute an
increasing portion of the U.S. population, especially in the pool of
potential college students. For example, among 18- to 24-year-olds, the
proportion of Blacks and other racial minorities {excluding Hispanics) is
expected to grow from 14.3 percent in 1980 to 17.9 percent by 1990, and
will reach 18.9 percent by the year 2000 (Ue Se Bureau of the Census
1965-80 No. 704)e It is important to recognize the potentially
significant impact of minorities on the supply of scientists and, thus,
their possible contribution to scientific research.
Although it would be absurd to propose a "Chicano biochemistry" or
"Black biophysics," one should recognize that minorities, like everyone
else, will apply their own values in determining what is an appropriate
or interesting problem in health research. Minority scientists are more
likely than nonminorities to focus on problems of particular significance
to the minority population -- hypertension, for example -- thus
broadening the scope of scientific inquiry. A more diverse scientific
community can result in greater diversity in research, from which the
sciences will benefit.
Finally, increasing the participation of minorities in the sciences
is also a matter of fairness. The persistent underrepresentation of
Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians among doctoral scientists amounts
to their near exclusion f rom the science professions. This inequity must
be el iminated for the good of both so fence and minority g roups.
To understand the issues affecting the participation of minorities
in the biomedical and behavioral fields, the Committee reviewed the
recent (1974-1980) literature on minorities in the sciences and prepared
two background documents, an Issues Paper and an Annotated Bibliography
of the references used. These documents, which summarize the literature,
are available to interested readers upon request.1 Although the
literature describes a wide range of problems that contribute to the low
representation of minorities in science careers, there is a clear
emphasis on those early factors that discourage minority students from
pursuing science education, beginning in the primary grades and
continuing through postsecondary levels. These factors, cited by
numerous authors, include the following: cultural and language
differences; lack of early development of an aptitude for mathematics or
science; weak academic preparation, especially in mathematics; lack of
science career information, adult role models, and vigorous recruitment;
inflexible college admissions criteria; and inadequate financial
resources.
110
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In addition to reviewing the relevant literature, the Committee
examined the most recent statistic s on minority representation among
students in higher education and doctorate recipients, particularly in
the biomedical and behavioral f ields. The Committee also reviewed the
current federal programs to train minority students in those f ields.
They are described later in the chapter. Earlier discussions of
minorities that appeared in the Committee's Reports from 1977 to 1979 are
summarized at the end of this chapter. 2
The Committee's analysis of minority Ph.D. 's in the biomedical and
behavioral sciences is limited to consideration of U.S. citizens and
permanent visa holders among American Indians, Hispanic Americans,
Blacks, and Asians. Although Asians are not underrepresented among
students and degree recipients in graduate science education, they are
included in these analyses because they are considered a minority group
by the U.S. Office for Civil Rights for purposes of affinnati~re action at
all educational levels.
In the following discussion the representation of minority group
members in the biomedical and behavioral sciences is compared to their
proportions in the total U.S. population. The percentages of minorities
in the population for both 1970 and 1980 are given in Table 6.1 as
reference points against which to consider the data presented in this
chapter.
TABLE 6.1 Percent of Racial/Ethnic Minorities in
the U.S. Population
1970 1980
Race/Ethnic Group (O (%)
Amencan Indians 0.4 0.6
Blacks 11.1 11.7
Asians 0.8 1.5
Hispanics 4.5 6.4
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census (1981).
MINORITY PH.D. 'S IN THE BIO~:DICAL SCIENCES
Data f rom the National Research Council's Survey of Earned Doctorates
for the period 1974 through 1980 show that Blacks and Hispanics remain
severely underrepresented among Ph.D. 's in the biomedical sciences.
American Indians are represented in roughly the same proportion as in the
total population, while Asians are statistically overrepresented. The
total number of minority Ph.D.'s, including Asians, in biomedical fields
has remained stable for the last 7 years, even though the total number of
biomedical doctorates awarded annually increased in 1979 and 1980 (Figure
6.1 and Appendix Table All) . Thus, in the last 2 years the percentage of
minorities among biomedical Ph.D.'s has declined slightly.
The persistent underrepresentation of Blacks and Hispanics is
conspicuous. From 1974 to 1980 Blacks were no more than 2.0 percent and
Hispanics no more than 1.1 percent of all biomedical doctorates awarded
annually, while Asians constituted at least 5.5 percent of the total each
year. American Indians amounted to at least 0. 4 percent of biomedical
Ph.D. 's every year until 1980 when they were 0.3 percent.
111
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3,400
`,' 3,200
~ 3,000
Cal
IL
o
m 600
he 400
200
Total
Nonminorities and Other/Unknown
Minorities
-
1974 75 76 77 78 79 80
FISCAL YEAR
FIGURE 6.1 1974-80 doctorate recipients in the biomedical sciences: U.S. citizens and permanent visa
holders. See Appendix Table All.
4,000
3,800
3fiOo
CD
cat 3,400
o
LU
of
3,200
3,000
600
400
200
Total
Nonminorities and Other/Unknown
Minaritiec
.... ~
1974 75 76 77 78 79 80
FISCAL YEAR
FIGURE 6.2 1974-80 doctorate recipients in the behavioral sciences: U.S. citizens and permanent visa
holders. See Appendix Table A14.
112
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T ime to Comp fete the Doc borate
In the biomedical fields, Black Ph.D.'s take a longer time than
others to complete their doctorate after receiving the bachelor's decree,
I-- ~~ - ~ , ~ Although the
median time that biomedical Ph.D. 's are enrolled in graduate study is
about the same for nonminorities (5. 7 years) and for Blacks 16.1 years),
the median total time between the bachelor's and doctoral degrees is 3
years longer for Black Ph.~. 's, who take 10.0 years, compared to 6.8
years for nonminorities (Appendix Table Ally. This difference is
illustrated in another way in Figure 6. 3, showing the median age of
Blacks and nonminorities at three times: receipt of baccalaureate,
entrance to graduate school, and receipt of doctorate. When they have
entered graduate school, Blacks are already 1 1/2 years older than
nonminorities. By the receipt of doctorate the median age of Blacks is 4
years greater than that of nonminorities, a result of interruptions in
study between the bachelor' s and doctor' s degrees. While the reasons for
these interruptions cannot be determined from existing data, it is likely
that in large measure they result f rom f inancial pressures which arise
during the long training period. Thus, the longer time that Blacks take
to earn their Ph.D. 's in the biomedical sciences may simply reflect the
economic problems cot man to all students of modest means.
primarily cue to time not enrolled in arad Hate study
35
34
33
32
31
30
V 29
`,~ 28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
.
Blacks
Non minorities
Blacks
Blacks Nonminorities
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Non minorities
BACHELOR'S
DEGREE
ENTRANCE TO
GRADUATE
SCHOOL
DOCTO R. ATE
DEG R EE
FIGURE 6.3 Median age of 1974-80 Ph.D.'s in the biomedical sciences: Blacks and nonminorities.
See Appendix Table A16.
113
, _ _,
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Sources of Graduate Student Support
For both minority and nonminority Ph.D. 's in the biomedical
sciences, except Asians, the teaching ass, stantship was the most frequent
source of support during graduate school (Appendix Table A12) . This
source was followed by research assistantships and the student's own
earnings. Asians reported the highest pe rcentage ~ 57 percent) of
research assistantships for all biomedical Ph.D. ' s. About the same
percentages of nonminorities, Blacks, and Hispanics reported self-support
32-34 percent), but more American Indians ~ 38 percent) and fewer Asians
~ 21 percent) cited it. Asians reported support by NIH fellowships less
frequently than did non-minorities while Black Ph.D. ' s cited them more
f requently. All four minority groups, however, received NIB traineeships
less frequently than did the 33 percent of nonminorities who held them:
22 percent of Blacks, 20 percent of Asians, 26 percent of Hispanics, and
30 percent of American Indians. Among other sources of support, National
Direct Student Loans and other loans were used more f requently by
American Indians, Blacks, and Hispanics than by nonmi norities; Asians
cited loans less frequently than did other racial/ethnic groups.
Plans for Postdoctoral Study
In recent years the percent of all biomedical Ph.D. Is planning
postdoctoral study has grown steadily f rom 50 percent in 1974 to 65
percent in 1980 (Appendix Table Aid. Minorities have shared in this
trend in roughly the same proportions as nonminorities, except for
Blacks, a much smaller percentage of whom have reported postdoctoral
study plans. In 1980, for example, 57 percent of nonminority Ph.D. 's in
the biomedical f ields reported they planned postdoctoral study, whi le
only 37 percent of Blacks had such plans. The reasons for this
difference, evident since 1974, are unknown, and until the postdoctoral
activity of Black Ph.D. s has been examined, the Committee can only note
this fact. However, one can speculate that both positive and negative
factors may be responsible for this difference. The demand for Black
doctorates may have created a favorable market in who ch postdoctoral
experience may not be a job prerequisite for Black Ph.D.'s. The NRC
Committee on Postdoctorals cited evidence that minority scientists and
engineers are in demand and noted that many of them took faculty
positions immediately after completing their doctoral programs (NRC,
1981a, pp. 143-146~. On the other hand, economic necessity and the lack
of role models to guide them may militate against postdoctoral study by
Blacks. We have reported that minority Ph.D. 's, with the exception of
Asians, are older and have more dependents than others do at the time of
doctorate {1977 Report, p. 172~. The Ford Foundation has recognized the
latter factors by establishing a Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for
Minorities with Special provisions addressed to these problems.
In its 1977 Report, the Committee noted that the percentage of
Blacks planning postdoctoral study was much smaller than other Ph.D. 's
and recommended that a special effort be made by each agency to encourage
qualif fed minority applicants to undertake postdoctoral training by
establishing a special postdoctoral fellowship program targeted to
minorities (1977 Report, p. 173~. This was not done. However, the most
recent data show that the percentage of Blacks planning postdoctoral
study continues to be much smaller than others. The Committee,
therefore, urges the agencies to reconsider its previous recommendation.
114
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At the same time, the agencies should encourage qualified minority Ph.D.
candidates to pursue postdoctoral education and should support them
through existing programs in an effort to include them in the mainstream
of scientific research and training.
MINORITY PH.D. 'S IN To BE - VIO=L SCIENCES
The total number of doctorates awarded in the behavioral sciences
increased from 1974 to 1976, then levelled off until 1980 {Figure 6.2 and
Appendix Table Aim. During this period minority representation has
grown among Ph. D. awardees in the behavioral sciences in contrast to the
stability of that representation in the biomedical f ields. The number of
Ph.D. 's awarded to Hispanics increased from 23 in 1974 to 73 in 1980.
The number of Ph.D. 's awarded to Blacks has grown from 79 in 1974 to 156
in 1980. Thus, there has been a three-fold rise in Hispanic Ph.D. ' s and
a near doubling of Blacks. However, in order to approach their pro-
portions in the national population, they would have had to grow much
faster than they did in these years.
The percentage of all behavioral sciences Ph.D. 's planning
postdoctoral study has gradually increased since 1974 (Appendix Table
A15), but not to the same level as in the biomedical f ields. For
example, in 1980 while 65.5 percent of biomedical doctorates planned
further study, only 16. 2 percent in the behavioral sciences had such
plans. For American Indians and Blacks the percentage of those planning
postdoctoral study has been somewhat lower than for nonminorities, 7.1
and 12.2 percent, respectively, while it has generally been higher for
Asians and Hispanics, 17.3 and 16.4 percent, respectively. The
percentages of American Indians, Asians, and Hispanics fluctuate widely
from year to year, but this variability may be exaggerated because the
numbers of Ph.D.'s are very small.
MINORITIES IN THE EDUCATIONAL "PIPELINES
According to the 1979 Survey of Doctorate Recipients, U.S.-born
minorities excluding Asians were only 1.6 percent of the estimated Pb.D.
labor force in science and engineering. Although this underrep-
resentation is widely recognized as a persistent problem at the doctorate
level, it is the result of the limited flow of minority students into
science at the lower educational levels. Data on enrollments and degrees
earned by race are sparse and do not permit one to follow a group of
individuals through the educational Hpipeline. f rom the undergraduate to
the doctoral level. Still, the data available do provide a prof ile of
students and degrees at several points in time. These data are
summarized in Table 6.2 for Blacks and in Table 6.3 for Hispanics.
These figures support two conclusions: First, minorities are
represented less among bachelor' s degree holders than among undergraduate
enrollees, and still less among Ph.D. recipients. Second, minority
graduate students are concentrated in conscience fields, especially
education. These facts are the result of both the small number of
minorities who continue on to graduate education and the lack of minority
students selecting science careers. Increasing minority representation
among biomedical and behavioral scientists will require increasing the
115
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TABLE 6.2 Summary of Data on Blacks in the Educational "Pipeline"
1976 1977 1978 1979 1980
UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL
Percentage of Total Bachelor's Degrees:a
All Fields
Education
Biological Sciences
Psychology
Percentage of Total Undergraduate Enrollment: b
All Fields
Percentage Distribution by Type of Ins~dtution:c
Undersides
4-Year Colleges
2-Year Colleges
GRADUATE LEVEL
Percentage of Total Master's Degrees:a
All Fields
Education
Biological Sciences
Psychology
Percentage of Total Graduate Enrollment: b
All Fields
Biological Sciences
DOCTORATE LEVEL
Percentage of Total Ph.D.'s:d
AB Fields
Education
Biomedical Sciences
Behavioral Sciences
Percentage Distribution of Black Doctorates:d
Physical Sciences
Engineenng
Life Sciences
Social Sciences
Education
Humanides
Other Fields
aFrom U.S. Department of Education (1948-81).
b From U.S. Department of Education (1961-79).
CFrom U.S. Department of Education (1980).
dFrom NRC (1958-80).
6.4
9.1
4.3
6.4
10.2
6.5
9.7
3.3
5.3
606
2.6
4.0
9.4
1.8
3.5
100.0
2.6
1.8
6.4
16.5
59.4
8.6
4.7
7.5
8.9
4.5
6.7
N/A
6.~/
10.0
2.9
6.1
N/A
N/A
10.0
1.4
3.5
100.0
3.7
1.3
5.7
18.8
57.7
9.0
3.8
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
10.2
100.0
13.9
44.1
42.0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
5.7
2.6
4.2
9.1
2.0
3.5
100.0
4.9
1.2
7.1
19.3
54.3
8.2
4.9
NOTE: Backs were 11.1 Grunt of the U.S. pop~don ~ 1970 "d 11.7 percent in 1980.
116
6.5
9.0
5.0
7.5
N/A
6.4
9.7
3.1
5.9
N/A
N/A
4.2
8.6
1.5
4.1
100.0
4.7
1.8
5.5
20.2
51.4
11.7
4.8
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
4.1
8.8
1.4
4.0
100.0
2.6
1.6
6.2
20.3
55.0
9.4
4.8
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TABLE 6.3 Summary of Data on Hispanics in the Educational "Pipeline"
1976 1977 1978 1979 1980
UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL
Percentage of Total Bachelor's Degrees:a
All Fields 2.6 3.5 N/A 3.2 N/A
Education 2.2 2.3 N/A 2.5 N/A
Biological Sciences 2.7 2.9 N/A 3.8 NjA
Psychology 3~3 3 4 N/A 4.0 N/A
Percentage of Total Undergraduate Enrollment: b
All Fields 4.8 N/A 5.3 N/A N/A
Percentage Distribution by Type of Institution: C 100.0
Universities 12.7
Year Colleges 32.9
2-Year Colleges 54.4
GRADUATE LEVEL
Percentage of Total Master's Degrees:a
AB Fields 2.0 2.2 N/A 2.1 N/A
Education 2.2 2.3 N/A 2.5 N/A
Biological Sciences 1.4 1.5 N/A 1.7 N/A
Psychology 2.7 3.9 N/A - 2.4 N/A
Percentage of Total Graduate Enrollment: b
AN Fields 2.2 N/A 2.3 N/A N/A
Biological Sciences 1.4 N/A 1.6 N/A N/A
DOCTORATE LEVEL
Percentage of Total Ph.D.'s:d
AD Fields 1.3 1.7 2.0 2.0 1.8
Education 1.7 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.2
Biomedical Sciences 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.0 0.9
Behavioral Sciences 1.1 1.5 1.9 1.8 1.9
Percentage Distribution of Hispanic Doctorates: d 100.0 100.0 100.0 100~0 100.0
Physical Sciences 7.2 11.6 5.6 9.5 702
Engineering 4.4 4.6 5.9 4.5 5.8
Life Sciences 8.8 7.4 8.7 8.7 8.9
Social Sciences 17.9 17.7 21.6 19.9 21.9
Education 34.2 29.7 30.5 31.2 31.7
Humanities 22.0 25.5 23.~ 24.1 21.3
Other Fields 5.5 3.4 4.5 2.2 3.1
aFrom US. Department of Education (1948-81).
bFrom U.S. Department of Education (1961-79).
CFrom U.S. Department of Education (1980).
dFrom NRC (19S8-80).
NOTE: Hispanics were 4.5 percent of the U.S. population in 1970 and 6.4 percent in 1980.
117
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pool of minorities who are both academically prepared and motivated to
pursue graduate education in the sciences. Current programs to assist
the college and graduate training of minority science students are facing
an impossible task if unaccompanied by long-range efforts to increase the
flow of minorities into higher education. While the critical primary and
secondary school levels are not within the direct purview of the
Committee, nonetheless educators at those levels are urged to support
programs to identify and encourage the development of science talent
among minority students.
CURRENT PROGRAMS FOR MINORITY STUDENTS
The Committee found the current federal programs for increasing the
participation of underr~presented minorities in the biomedical and
behavioral disciplines to be quite varied. Although they have similar
objectives, they take different forms such as institutional training
grants, fellowships, and research projects, and are operated by different
federal departments and agencies. The Committee has identified the major
programs for minorities within the Department of Health and Human
Services, the Department of Education, and the National Science
Foundation and has outlined these in Table 6.4. The remainder of this
chapter provides brief descriptions of a few of these programs.
The Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) programs of the
National Institutes of Health and the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental
Health Administration fall directly within the purview of this Committee
since they are under the authority of the National Research Service Award
Act. These include the Honors Undergraduate Research Training Grants,
Faculty Fellowships, Graduate Institutional Training Grants, and the
Predoctoral Fellowship Program, which are intended for the students and
faculty of minority institutions. The core of the MARC programs,
however, is the Honors Undergraduate Program, which began in FY 1977 to
support college juniors and seniors. The first graduates of this program
began their predoctoral training in the 1978-1979 academic year and could
have completed 4 years of graduate study by the spring of 1982. However,
it is too early to predict when they will earn their Ph.D.'s, although
the median registered time between the B.A. and Ph.D. is about 6 years
(see Appendix Table Aid. This program has received strong support from
NIH in the past and teas shown vigorous growth to date. In FY 1981 there
were 35 institutional grants with funds for 305 trainees, compared with
12 grants with 76 trainees in FY 1977.
From the outset the strategy of this program was to develop the
environment for high-quality research training within minority colleges,
which attract a great number of talented undergraduates. The
institutional support component of the NRSA training grants has been a
crucial feature of this program, making it possible for minority
institutions without doctoral programs to begin training a cohort of
potential scientists who would be able to enter and complete doctoral
study in major research universities. Therefore, the elimination or any
substantial reduction of indirect costs and institutional allowances from
NRSA training grants would affect minority schools more severely than
118
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others, and would seriously jeopardize the future of the MARC Honors
Undergraduate program. The Committee hopes that will not occur. The NIH
should continue to follow the careers of those trainees who have
participated to date, so that the results of the past investment in this
program will be known.
The Predoctoral Fellowship Program, designed for students who have
completed the Honors Undergraduate Program, and who have already proven
their ability to move on to graduate study in research universities, is
only in its f irst year.
Although not a training program per se, the NIH Minority Biomedical
Support (MBS) program shares the MARC program's objective of increasing
the number of minorities in research careers. The MBS program is
technically a program of inst itut tonal research proj eat g rants f unded by
the NIH and ADAMHA, which employ f acuity and students at minority
institutions. A special feature of the MBS program is its emphasis on
underg raduate part ic ipation in all phases of research f rom
conceptualization to reporting results at meetings and in scientif ic
journals. The Annual MBS Symposium provides an opportunity for students
to present their work in a national forum and serves as a strong
incentive to academic achievement. In addition to the biomedical
research conducted since the MBS Program began in 1973, the prog ram has
provided support for 2,878 students who completed bachelor's degrees, 76
percent of whom continued on to graduate or professional schools, and 30
students who completed Ph.D. 's as of 1979.
The MARC and MBS programs thus both emphasize identifying and
recruiting talented students at the college level and assisting in their
further development, an emphasis essential to improving the flow of
minorities into doctoral education.
Another approach to training minority scientists is taken by the
Minority Hypertension Research Develooment Summer Program, which awards
NBSA training grants to university medical school Hypertension Centers
for continuing summer training programs in cooperation with minority
institutions. One of today's ma jor health problems, hypertension affects
one-seventh of the U. S. adult population and is of particular concern to
the Black population, of whom an estimated one-third have high blood
pressure. The program seeks to enhance the research capabilities of the
trainees and encourage the recruitment and development of minority
investigators in hypertension. The minority institutions provide
trainees f rom among their f acuity and graduate students, while the
training centers provide the research facilities and preceptors, who
guide the activity of individual trainees. The summer of 1980 was the
program's fourth year of operation and involved 17 Hypertension Training
Centers with 68 minority institutions. In that summer 133 trainees, 93
faculty, and 40 graduate students participated in the 12-week session.
This program employs the research training mechanism of the NRSA
institutional grant in the highly focused research setting of the
Hypertension Centers. The Committee encourages NIH to thoroughly
evaluate the effectiveness of this innovative approach to training.
In the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration there is
another variation on the use of the NRSA authority, the Minority
Fellowship Programs. These are administered by four professional
associations: the American Nurses' Association, the Council on Social
Work Education, the American Psychological Association, and the American
Sociological Association. The associations receive NRSA funds from the
National Institute of Mental Health {NIMH) and award fellowships to
minority group members, providing support for up to three years of
doctoral study in their f ields. In FY 1980 these programs supported the
119
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following number of research fellows: Nursing 13, Social Work 14,
Sociology 48, and Psychology 36. The programs began in 1975, and by 1979
42 fellows had completed Ph.D.'s, including 10 psychologists, 6 nurses, 5
social workers, and 11 sociologists.
Since FY 1979, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has also
sponsored a Minority Graduate Fellowship Prog ram, which awards 3-year
fellowships on the basis of a national competition open only to members
of underrepresented minority groups. The awards provide support for
study leading to master ' s or doctor' s degrees in all science f ields. In
1979 the NSF gave 65, and in 1980 55, new fellowships to minority
graduate students; in 1981 105 new awards were offered, including 32 in
the life and medical sciences. A continuous number of such awards could
have a noticeable impact on the pool of minority Ph.D. 's.
A significant nongovernmental program at the graduate level, the Ford
Foundation's Graduate Fellowships for Blacks, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans,
and American Indians, ended this year. The Ford program provided funds
for doctoral dissertation research and supported 1, 650 Ph.D. candidates
during its existence f ram 1969 to June 1981. A new program, however, got
under way in 19 80 when the Ford Foundation initiated a Postdoctoral
Fellowship Program for Minorities under the auspices of the National
Research Council. In both 1980 and 1981 35 grants were awarded to
Pb.~. 's for 1 year of study in the humanities and the sciences.
While most of the current national programs support minorities at the
higher levels of academic training, there are a, so programs at the high
school level to attract minorities of ability. The Biomedical Research
Support Grants (BRSGs) of the National Institutes of Health provide
Minority High School Research Apprenticeships in the form of sununer jobs
designed to interest minorities in health research. Some 200 students
participated in the summer of 1980, the first year of that program. The
Biomedical Sciences Program administered by the Department of Education
made its first awards in FY 1980 to selected postsecondary schools that
developed 5-year projects to motivate, educate, and prepare high school
students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds for biomedical
careers.
RECOMMENDAT ION
All of the existing programs mentioned above deserve close monitoring
by their sponsors and should be improved if possible. The Committee
commends the respective agencies for their efforts and supports their
common goal of attracting more minorities into research careers.
However, since there is a lack of literature evaluating the various
approaches taken, the Committee has no basis on which to judge whether
one method is superior to another.
Recommendation. Current federal programs that recruit
and train minority students in the biomedical and behav-
ioral so fences should be evaluated in order to identify
the most successful approaches to increasing minority par-
ticipation in the sciences. Existing programs should be
continued pending the outcome of this evaluation.
124
OCR for page 125
NOTES
1. Staff working documents describing the review of literature
(1974-1980) on minorities in science, Issues Affecting the Partici-
pation of Minorities in Science and An Annotated Bibliography on Issues
Affecting the Participation of Minorities in Science, by Richard Albert
and Dr. Harold Delaney, are available upon request b5r writing to:
Committee on a Study of National Needs for Biomedical and Behavioral
Research Personnel, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room JH 717,
Washington, D.C., 20418.
2. In its 1977 Report the Committee f irst discussed minority participa-
tion in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Upon examining data
compiled by the National Research Council' s Survey of Earned Doctorates,
the Committee found a gradual increase during the years 1973 to 1976 in
minority representation among doctoral rec ipients in all areas of
learning but a decrease in the percent of minorities in the biomedical
sciences. An examination of the baccalaureate fields of doctorate
recipients showed that many minority Phi. 's, especially Blacks with
baccalaureates in the biomedical fields, shifted to graduate study in
other areas, principally education, where they earned their doctoral de-
grees. Survey data also showed that minority doctorates, except Asians,
took longer to earn the degree and received it at a later age than
Whites. A strikingly high percentage {25 percent) of 1973~1976 Black
doctorates in the biomedical/bebavioral sciences interrupted their
graduate study for more than 3 years. All minority doctorates, except
Asians, had more dependents at the time they completed their degrees
than did Whites. Black Ph.D.'s also were less likely than Whites to
pursue postdoctoral study. However, the Committee believed that
employment prospects in science f ields appeared good for minority
doctorates.
The Committee cone luded that in order to provide more opportuni-
ties for minorities to enter and to complete predoctoral programs, ef-
forts were needed in addition to the NTH programs of Minority Access
to Research Careers, Minority Biomedical Support, and the ADAMHA Minority
Fellowship Programs. The Committee made two recommendations designed to
encourage more minority applicants to enter and complete g raduate training
without undue delay: ( 1) ADAMHA should provide predoctoral support for
minorities starting with the f irst year of graduate training, instead of
the third year under then-current policy, to meet the f inancial needs of
these students; and ~ 2) spec ial ef f arts should be made be' each agency to
encourage qualif fed minority applicants to undertake postdoctoral
training by establi shing a special postdoctoral fellowship program for
minorities ( 1977 Report, pp. 170-173) . While the second recommendation
was never implemented ADAMHA did change its policy in 1977 in accordance
with the f irst recommendation.
In its 19 78 Report the Committee again addressed the partic ipa-
tion of minorities but only in its section on behavioral sc ien<:es. The
Committee reiterated its recommendation that ADAMa~ waive its "two-year
restriction" for minority students in the belief that this change would
promote the recruitment of minority scientists through current NRSA
programs. However, the Committee did commend the agency for its efforts
in developing spec ial programs for minorities. Finally the Committee
noted that it had commissioned a study to review the issues affecting
125
OCR for page 126
the recruitment and training of minorities in science careers { 1978
Report, pp. 7 7-78), the results of which are reported in this chapter.
In the 1979 Report the Committee noted its approval of ADAMHA' s
change in policy to support promising f irst- and second-year students
who otherwise would not have the resources to pursue full-time research
training. The Committee also noted ADANHA's announcement of its new
Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) programs in f ields relating to
alcoholism, drug abuse, and mental health, and contended the agency for
its efforts to provide National Research Service Award support to
minority group students ( 1979 Report, pp. 45-46~ .
126
Representative terms from entire chapter:
appendix table
