Tulane Urology Purposeful Infrastructure Promoting Equality (PIPE) Scholar Program
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Introduction:
Enrollment and graduation of medical students from underrepresented minorities (URMs), such as the African American, Hispanic, Latino, and Native American community, is extremely low. The percentage of URM urologists practicing in the United States is even lower. Along with other colleges in the New Orleans area, such as Delgado Community College, Dillard University, Southern University, University of New Orleans, and Xavier University, Tulane University School of Medicine is addressing this disparity. Furthermore, Tulane’s Urology Department is especially concerned about the lack of URMs within our urology training program. Therefore, this pilot program is indicative of our department’s serious effort to recruit more URMs into medical schools and, hopefully, into the urology pipeline. It is also our hope that similar programs will proliferate across the United States.
PIPE Scholar Program:
This is an opportunity for first-generation students from an URM to join Tulane Urology for two months via the PIPE program, which is designed to integrate participants into ongoing laboratory and clinical research projects, therefore introducing participants to methods of research, providing participants with hands-on laboratory training, and familiarizing participants with the essential aspects of scientific writing, among other program components. In addition, this program will foster personal and professional development, provide career guidance, and demystify the application steps of admission to a medical school, be it Tulane University School of Medicine or elsewhere.
Coordinator Contact:
Demi Robert
Telephone: (504) 988 - 2794
Email: drobert@tulane.edu
Submission Deadline:
February 1, 2025
Application/Program Details:
Tulane Urology Purposeful Infrastructure Promoting Equality
(PIPE) Scholar Program
1. Only applications from URM students who have finished two years of college and who are interested in and focused on a possible medical career, regardless of their academic major or interest in the field of urology, will be considered.
Application Requirements:
i. Two Letters of Recommendation
ii. Personal Statement
iii. Completed Application
2. All students must comply with Tulane University standards, such as having vaccinations and Tulane IDs as well as following the policies and procedures in labs and medical facilities, and so forth (no exceptions).
*A maximum of two applicants will be chosen for the program.
*PIPE students will be limited to shadowing faculty in the urology clinic. Therefore, the students will not be participating in examinations or assisting with documentation, thus they will not have access to or utilizing medical records.
3. Applications will be forwarded to the coordinator and subsequently reviewed by the faculty. Depending on the strength of the application process, an in-person interview will be scheduled for these individuals. This process will adhere to the established protocol and recommendations of Tulane University or the Office of Graduate Medical Education (GME).
4. Expected start date: June 2025.
5. Duration: Two months during the summer.
i. This program is available the following year for repeat enrollment if the applicant is interested.
6. Students will be provided a curriculum to integrate into one of the following:
i. ongoing laboratory projects of Dr. Asim Abdel-Mageed and his team.
ii. ongoing clinical research projects of Dr. Surresh Sikka and his team.
7. Tulane’s Department of Urology will be paying for the two months of housing and parking as well as providing a stipend of $1,000 per month for two months.
