RIT-RISE Resources

Doctoral Readiness Scales (DRS)
Targeted Core Competencies to be trained and Expected Outcomes by RIT U-RISE modified from the National Post-Doctoral Association Core Competencies (2021) to meet the unique needs of DHH undergraduates.

Career Awareness - Understand scope of biomedical, biobehavioral and clinical research and career options.

Responsible Conduct of Research - Demonstrate knowledge of lab safety; awareness of government and institutional research regulatory policies; ethical protection of human subjects and the welfare of animals; ethical responsibility to colleagues and the profession.

The Scientific Method - Demonstrate knowledge of how to critically evaluate scientific literature, form a research questions, construct hypotheses, design and conduct experiments, analyze data; draw scientific conclusions, revise hypotheses; ensure rigor and reproducibility of results; communicate results. Biomedical, Biobehavioral, and Clinical Research Methods - Understand and apply common discipline-specific research methods: e.g., experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational designs; field studies; qualitative and quantitative research methods; biological and chemical laboratory techniques; statistical methods & traditions; specialized software; data visualization and archiving.

Research Culture and Public Good - Understand and display collegiality, responsible data sharing, open access to scientific information; team-science principles (collaborative research to address complex problems); effective mentor-trainee relationships, community engagement in research (e.g., community-based participatory research).

Professional and Scientific Communication - Demonstrate effective scientific communication; oral, poster, and panel presentation best practices; proficiency in scientific writing (professional style guidelines, manuscript preparation checklists, journal submission letters, grant writing, responding to reviewers), managing professional communication for diverse audiences; principles of team authorship; effective participation and networking in scientific conventions and conferences.

Professional Development - Apply strategies and skills for working with interpreters in intramural and extramural lab environments; working with individuals from diverse backgrounds; conflict resolution; working in new professional environments; assessing own progress towards meeting graduate school expectations; and preparing graduate school applications and personal statements.

Self-Efficacy - Develop effective psychological resilience strategies, e.g., self-advocacy, self-confidence, and self-efficacy; time and stress management; coping with working in hearing environments; coping with REU/SRE and graduate school applications. Build science identity as a scientist-in-training and future DHH scientist role model. Enhance self-promotion skills e.g., writing an effective resume/CV. Develop skills and strategies for giving effective application interviews.

Test-taking & Interviews - Develop effective study strategies; test anxiety repair strategies; strategies for preparing to take the GRE, strategies for giving effective application interviews.

Leadership - Develop professional and scientific leadership skills.

Sample DRS
Sample DRS shows sample scores on a rating scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) from a Ms. Trainee and Dr. Mentor for a variety of items related to the ten core competencies. An average score is generated for each competency for both the Trainee and Mentor in a summary chart. A graph comparing Trainee and Mentor scores visually represents the same average summary information.

Sample CASS
Sample CASS shows sample self-ratings of a variety of communication access preferences on a scale which includes different qualitative rating scales (1: never, rarely, sometimes, often, very often; 2: not important, slightly important, moderately important, very important, extremely important; and 3: strongly disagree, disagree, agree, strongly agree).

Sample CASS
Deaf mentoring survey items by Capital Assessed.

Capital Assessed: Academic/discipline

1. [Name] helped me better understand science communication (e.g., poster presentations, platform presentations, authorship, grant applications, and peer review).
2. I felt like I had full access to academic knowledge.
3. [Name] increased my knowledge of my discipline.
4. [Name] taught me how to work independently.
5. [Name] taught me how to use the tools, techniques, and methods of my field.
6. [Name] exposed me to the everyday life of a scientist.
7. [Name] helped me improve my science writing skills.
   Capital Assessed: Social
8. I had a good professional relationship with [Name].
9. I felt comfortable discussing personal things with [Name].
10. [Name] encouraged me to meet other people working in my field.
11. [Name] encouraged me to meet other people working in my field.
12. I had no problems communicating with others in [Name’s] lab.
13. I was included in conversations in this lab.
14. Name] and I have stayed in touch, or will stay in touch with one another for many years.
    Capital Assessed: Navigational
15. [Name] made sure my communication needs were met.
16. I received all the accommodations I needed.
17. [Name] gave me career advice.
18. [Name] taught me how to ask for the accommodations I need now and in the future (e.g., at professional meetings, in graduate programs, etc.).
19. [Name] discussed with me how to work with interpreters or real-time captioning (CART).
    Capital Assessed: Aspirational
20. [Name] challenged me to try new things.
21. [Name] helped my confidence.
22. [Name] gave me a role model(s) to look up to.
23. [Name] taught me how to be successful in science.
24. I was exposed to deaf scientists while in [Name’s] lab.
25. [Name] helped me to see myself as a scientist.
    Capital Assessed: Community
26. [Name] encouraged me to have deaf friends.
27. [Name] encouraged me to participate in the deaf community.
28. [Name] encouraged me to balance work and life.
29. [Name] had a positive attitude about ASL.
30. [Name] was aware that deaf people are often stronger in one language than another.
    Capital Assessed: Resistance
31. [Name] encouraged me to stand up for myself.
32. [Name] had a positive attitude about deaf people.
33. [Name] thought it was important that my coworkers understand Deaf culture.
34. [Name] thought that hearing people should meet deaf people halfway.
35. [Name] thought that deaf people shouldn’t need to work any harder than hearing people.