North Raleigh Today

The UNC School of Medicine, in partnership with BioSTAR, has announced the launch of PRISM – the Postbaccalaureate Research Initiative in Science and Medicine. This program is tailored for recent graduates with bachelor’s degrees who aspire to build careers in biomedical sciences or medicine. The initiative is led by Kaitlin Blackmore, M.A., serving as the PRISM Program Coordinator, alongside Jonathan Schisler, M.S., Ph.D., the PRISM Faculty Director.

PRISM is part of the UNC School of Medicine’s Strategic Plan, particularly under the Research Pillar, aiming to newly equip students for entrance into leading PhD programs or medical schools. The program offers a 1 to 2-year research experience. Throughout this period, participants will engage in practical lab work, take an annual graduate-level course, and partake in tailored professional development activities.

Funding support comes from the host lab or principal investigator. The financial package includes a stipend of $34,000 for the first year and an optional $35,000 for the second year, along with health insurance (Student Blue), access to campus health services, and career workshops focused on graduate and medical school application and interview preparation.

To qualify, applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical or behavioral sciences from an accredited U.S. institution within the past two years. Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to working full-time in a UNC lab for no less than a year.

The program begins with three cohorts annually: Spring (January), Summer (June), and Fall (August). The application deadlines for the 2025 cohorts are May 1 for the Summer cohort and July 1 for the Fall cohort.

For more information or to apply, interested individuals can visit https://www.med.unc.edu/pbrp/ or contact prismprogram@med.unc.edu.