Project Narrative
The MINDS program (formerly the UW Neuroscience Summer Scholars Program) was launched in 2008 by Richard Ellenbogen, MD, Sandy Ellenbogen, RN, and James Pridgeon, MHA. From 2008 to 2015, it was supported by private donations from the Ellenbogen Foundation and numerous community donors and advocates. The program's initial organic success in inspiring students to pursue medical and scientific careers led to the application for an R25 grant. A unique aspect of this program has always been the long-term mentorship of students through graduate/medical school and into the early years of their careers. In 2016 the program was awarded R25 funding from the National Institutes of Health to expand and formalize the program's impact bringing in additional leadership with Christine Mac Doanld, PhD. The goal was - and remains - to inspire, mentor, and prepare students to pursue a career in the clinical or research neurosciences, and more generally "STEM-M" (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine/Healthcare). A major focus has been recruiting economically disadvantaged students with high potential for future careers in these disciplines who have not been exposed to integrated clinical and research opportunities such as the MINDS program.
The program has featured an 8-week placement in a basic or translational neuroscience laboratory that receives federal, industry, foundation, or other extramural support. In addition, students attend didactic activities such as weekly Neurological Surgery or Neurology Grand Rounds, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Faculty Lectures developed specifically for the students, Resident Education Hour, and 8 weekly teaching conferences. Clinical activities include observation in the operating room during a neurosurgical procedure, clinical shadowing experiences in neurology clinics, and hands-on experience with neurodegenerative brain diseases and brain anatomy in the neuropathology core. These offerings emphasize the link between patient care and translational neuroscience research, which together, aim to ultimately improve patient quality of care and reduce the burden of neurological disease while inspiring the next generation of clinical neuroscientists. Additional social activities, funded by philanthropy, have been integral to the remarkable bonding and peer-to-peer support that develops among cohort members.
Program History
Founded in 2008 the overall objective was to provide a transformative and inspiring eight-week program that encompasses research, lectures, and surgical observations. Since its inception, the program has aimed to provide inspiration, mentorship, and scientific preparation for students interested in pursuing careers in the clinical neurosciences, medical research, healthcare, and medicine.
Overall, 210 students aged 18 and older from over 113 different schools have participated in the program. Students have participated in 18 different laboratories, engaging with more than 20 faculty. Students have attended over 150 unique Neurological Surgery Grand Rounds presentations, observed over 500 surgical procedures and clinical shadowing opportunities by following more than 20 different attending neurological surgeons, neurologists, and physiatrists, at three different UW-affiliated hospitals. Students have also participated in roughly 130 weekly student group presentations by more than 30 different faculty members.
More than 50 students from earlier classes have gone on to medical school, other clinical training programs, or PhD neuroscience programs.
Program Vision
Through its affiliation with the UW Departments of Neurological Surgery and Neurology, the program is uniquely positioned to give students true “Bench to Bedside” exposure to clinical and translation neuroscience in a university medical center setting. This is a unique “hands-on” experience-based program—not the purely didactic, test-based learning that is provided by the traditional collegiate experience.
The program inspires students by exposing them to the passion and excitement of biomedical science and medical care through direct practical engagement with translational neuroscience. Students are provided with an introduction to the intellectual skills of hypothesis-driven research, evidence-based medicine, and compassionate, ethical, and safe healthcare delivery systems.
The program experience develops in each student: research and clinical experiences introducing the fundamental skills that are the foundation of the scientific process and ethical practice; understanding of the value of team participation and the synergy of multidisciplinary teams to enable them to be more effective students, colleagues, scientists, clinicians, and citizens; increased awareness of issues in responsible conduct in research and professionalism in clinical practice; activities to build confidence by challenging preconceived ideas of their own abilities, therefore preparing and inspiring them to set higher goals and experience new scientific achievements; improved scientific communication skills to better present their ideas as members of medical or research teams; an overview of, as well as substantial mentorship towards, potential educational/vocational pathways into clinical neuroscience/medical careers.
The combined experience of these program elements provides students with a realistic opportunity to observe the practice of medicine, the execution of hypothesis-driven research, and the rigors of medical and neuroscience research and education. These experiences make the students more informed and prepared to participate in societal discussions and public health debates. These experiences will ideally motivate students to pursue further education and careers in clinical neuroscience, and/or more generally in medicine/healthcare.
The program is not intended for those who have already developed a substantial neuroscience knowledge base and may have had several prior research internships.
Both formal and informal learning occur not only through specific lab work adding to the neuroscience knowledge base but also with exposure to the process of translational research through first-hand engagement. This teaches students one of the most valuable skills necessary for their future success: how to work with others and how to develop continuous self-study successfully in a complex environment.
At our most successful, students continue their education and establish careers in science, technology, engineering, math or medicine/healthcare. Experiences gained from the program enable students to develop scientific literacy that will make them more informed students in society. Many alumni have stated that the program is “transformational.”