Saturday Morning Science

Saturday Morning Science (SMS) is a 12-week long community outreach program sponsored by the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and takes place on various Saturdays throughout the year. SMS allows 7th-12th graders in Houston and surrounding areas to participate in interactive sessions designed to enhance exposure to STEM careers and topics (including basic scientific research, clinical research, medical careers, career development activities, and mentored small group experiences). Due to COVID-19, “Saturday Morning Science Spring 2021” will be entirely virtual and consist of two-hour virtual sessions (using Zoom) on seven different Saturday mornings between mid-March and early June. The first half of the session will consist of an invited lecturer, and the second half will consist of a small group interactive discussion facilitated by BCM faculty, students, or staff.

Please note that while SMS Spring is open to students who have previously participated in SMS 1, SMS Summer Research, SMS 2, or SMS Fall, priority will be given to students who have never participated in Saturday Morning Science. We do, however, encourage repeat applicants and will allow acceptance if space permits. Please stay tuned for updates on Saturday Morning Science Summer Research Reimagined, which will be either entirely virtual, or mainly virtual with an option of a lab-based experience (the virtual aspect of this program will admit up to 200 students; however, IF an in-person research experience is allowed, these slots are extremely limited (often to only 10-15 students) and requires an application and interview.

The cornerstone of any program to improve cultural diversity is the CEO of the institution. In 1992, only one African American student matriculated at Baylor College of Medicine as a member of the class of 1996.

With the CEO and President Dr. William T. Butler concerned about the underserved in our country and the paucity of physicians from the groups of underserved in medicine, a major effort was begun at Baylor College of Medicine to increase the enrollment and graduation of students underrepresented in medicine. He was also the national chair of Project 3000 by 2000, the AAMC's initiative for cultural diversity that was started in 1991.

Dr. Butler recruited a dean with a strong track record of improving cultural diversity at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Dr. James L. Phillips, now senior associate dean and professor of the Department of Pediatrics, Office of Diversity and Community Outreach at Baylor College of Medicine.

With unequivocal support from Dr. Butler, and his successors, initiatives were established, enhanced and maintained, such that Baylor has been one of the leading schools in the enrollment of students underrepresented in medicine (URM). In 2007, 902 URMs applied to Baylor College of Medicine compared to 240 in 1993. In 2006, URMs constituted 28 percent of BCM's matriculates in the 1st year class, compared to 7 percent in 1993.

With the philosophy that the entire environment of the school must be addressed, Dr. Phillips proceeded to enhance some of the programs already established, while also starting new programs to impact the pipeline of future medical students.
I

n 2018, upon Dr. Phillips’ retirement, he passed on the torch of leading Saturday Morning Science to Dr. Rayne H. Rouce, a Baylor physician-scientist passionate about community outreach and STEM education.