![medical researchers in lab medical researchers in lab](http://students-residents.aamc.org/sites/default/files/d/5/45-people_three-researchers-in-lab_landscape.jpg__750x325_q85_crop-smart_subsampling-2_upscale%402x.jpg)
PREP is designed to strengthen participants' research skills and competitiveness to pursue a PhD or MD-PhD degree.
Participants conduct research in a mentored environment and participate in professional development and educational programs.
There are three formats to pursue this training:
Postbaccalaureate Research Education Programs (PREP)
These programs are designed to help underrepresented minorities who recently received their bachelor's degree strengthen their research skills and academic competitiveness for PhD and MD-PhD Programs.
NIH Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Program
This NIH program provides recent college graduates who are planning to apply to PHD, MD, or MD-PhD programs an opportunity to spend one or two years doing full-time research at the NIH (in Bethesda, Md., as well as in N.C., Mont., Mass., and Mich.)
Non-NIH Postbaccalaureate Research Programs
Some academic medical centers have organized research training opportunities. This research/training typically extends for 1 to 2 years in formats that vary among the individual programs. See individual academic centers for more information.