Blogs

This blog was authored by Wilson Rumbeiha and Jodi Flaws.

Help us recruit the second cohort of students for the Toxicology Mentoring and Skills Development Training Program (ToxMSDT) by disseminating this information to potential candidates before the April 30 application deadline. ToxMSDT provides a yearlong toxicology training and mentoring program for underrepresented undergraduate STEM students. The goal is to attract diverse undergraduate students from around the United States to pursue careers in biomedical research, especially in toxicology. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the project is centered at University of California Davis, and has partners at five additional institutions, including SOT. ToxMSDT students in the first group participated in the recent SOT Annual Meeting, and the program is featured in this SOT TV video.

Successful applicants will be teamed with a mentor in an area of potential career interest; the pair meets remotely throughout the year. In-person activities include engaging at the initial workshop at the University of California Davis, visiting the mentor’s work site, attending the SOT Annual Meeting, and celebrating the program successes at the capstone event at Tuskegee University. Travel costs are supported by ToxMSDT. During the year, mentees review online learning modules to gain a foundation in toxicology. This program supplements the regular academic pursuits of the ToxMSDT students and runs September 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.

Eligibility Requirements

• STEM major
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
• At least a second-year undergraduate student
• Completion of at least one semester of general biology and general chemistry
• Enrolled in an accredited undergraduate institution at the time of application, with continuing enrollment for the next academic year concurrent with the ToxMSDT program
• Member of a group underserved in the biomedical sciences (see disadvantaged backgrounds, NIH notice).
• US citizen or US permanent resident
• COVID-19 fully vaccinated status (see institutional requirements here)

Inquiries can be directed to Pia van Benthem (she/her/hers), ToxMSDT Program Manager.

We look forward to receiving applications from highly engaged science students at your institution or from your network. Together, we can enhance the diversity in toxicology.