DEFINING UG BIOMEDICAL MAJORS
NIH Definition vs. DPC proposed Definition

Majors highlighted in orange are majors that were not originally included on the NSF/NIH survey but will be included on the DPC definition of biomedical majors.

SUMMARY

The Diversity Program Consortium (DPC) was established with the long term goal to enhance diversity in the biomedical research workforce. To do this, a list of undergraduate majors was compiled to indicate what fields of study would further this goal.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) had previously identified a list of majors to track entry into STEM careers. After ongoing DPC discussions and review of the prior list, the Executive Steering Committee approved an expanded list of undergraduate biomedical majors that correlated to institutional offerings and funding offered through the NIH. The committee co-chairs at the time were Drs. Alison Gammie and Lourdes Echegoyen.

Gammie is the director of the Division of Training, Workforce Development and Diversity at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NIH, and the DPC program lead. Echegoyen is the director of both the BUILDing SCHOLARS Center and the Office of Undergraduate Research Initiatives at the University of Texas, El Paso.

The list below was created to determine the scope of the Enhanced Diversity Study, also known as the Consortium Wide Evaluation Plan (CWEP).

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact the ESC cochairs and/or the CEC.

Download the Biomeds Majors PDF

Lourdes Echegoyen (UTEP)
Alison Gammie (NIH/NIGMS)
Keith Norris (CEC/UCLA)

Glossary

CEC Coordination and Evaluation Center at UCLA CWEP Consortium Wide Evaluation Plan
DPC NIH Diversity Program Consortium
ESC Executive Steering Committee
NIGMS National Institutes of General Medical Sciences
NIH National Institutes of Health
RFA Request for Application
UG Majors NIH Definition ESC Proposed
BIOLOGICAL & LIFE SCIENCES
Anatomy 22 22
Animal Biology (zoology) Biochemistry/Biophysics 22 22
Biology (general) 22 22
Biosciences 22 22
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Endocrinology 22 22
Entomology and parasitology 22 22
Genetics 22 22
Marine Biology   22
Microbiology 22 22
Microbiology, immunology, and virology 22 22
Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology Multidisciplinary 22 22
Neurobiology/Neuroscience 22 22
Other Biological Science 22 22
Pathology 22 22
Pharmacology 22 22
Physiology 22 22
Zoology 22 22
ENGINEERING
Biological/Agricultural Engineering   22
Biomedical Engineering 22 22
Chemical Engineering   22
Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering   22
Civil & Construction Engineering    
Civil & Environmental Engineering    
Civil Engineering    
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering    
Computer Engineering and Computer Science   22
Computer Science & Electrical Engineering   22
Electrical Engineering   22
Electrical Engineering & Computer Engineering   22
Engineering & Technology Management   22
Engineering Education & Leadership    
Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering    
Industrial & Systems Engineering    
Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering   22
Mechanical & Materials Engineering   22
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering    
Mining & Geological Engineering    
Petroleum Engineering    
Transportation & Urban Infrastructure Engineering    
HEALTH PROFESSIONS
Anesthesiology 22 22
Biometry and epidemiology 22 22
Cardiology   22
Child & Adolescent Development   22
Clinical medicine, nec 22 22
Communication disorders sciences
Speech and Hearing Sciences
22 22
Dental Science 22 22
Environmental & Occupational Health Engineering   22
Family & Consumer Sciences
Dietetics and Food
  22
Health Care/Services Administration
Health Science
22 22
Health Education
Fitness
Physical Education
Sport Pyschology
22 22
Health related 22 22
Health Sciences (e.g. Information Management) 22 22
Hematology 22 22
Kinesiology
Kinesiotherapy
Exercise Science
  22
Medical Technologies/Technicians   22
Multidisciplinary 22 22
Neurology 22 22
Nursing 22 22
Obstetrics and gynecology 22 22
Oncology/cancer research 22 22
Ophthalmology 22 22
Otorhinolaryngology 22 22
Pediatrics 22 22
Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences 22 22
Physical Therapy   22
Preventative medicine and community health 22 22
Psychiatry 22 22
Public Health/Community Health
Health Communication
Community Development
22 22
Pulmonary disease 22 22
Radiology 22 22
Science Education   22
Surgery 22 22
Veterinary sciences 22 22
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Atmospheric Sciences   22
Biochemical Sciences 22 22
Biophysics 22 22
Chemistry 22 22
Chemistry and Biochemistry 22 22
Environmental Sciences   22
Geography   22
Geography and Environmental Sciences   22
Geological or Earth Sciences   22
Marine Biotechnology   22
Medicinal Chemistry 22 22
Physics   22
Physics and Astronomy   22
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Anthropology (cultural and social) 22 22
Clinical psychology 22 22
Multidisciplinary
Human Development
22 22
Psychology 22 22
Psychology, combined 22 22
Psychology, except clinical 22 22
Sociology
Women & Gender Studies
  22
Sociology/anthropology 22 22
Social Work (added Oct/12/2016 @ESCmtg)    
OTHERS
Computer Science   22
Information Systems   22
Mathematics & Statistics   22

The Diversity Program Consortium Coordination and Evaluation Center at UCLA is supported by Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health / National Institutes of General Medical Sciences under award number U54GM119024.
Need Assistance? Please contact our support team: info@diversityprogramconsortium.org .