Summary/Abstract Having improved the recruitment and retention rates of underrepresented (UR) students in the graduate program at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSA), we now shift our we now focus our attention on the development of novel and cutting edge practices and processes that will produce UR students that are not only highly competitive, but are leaders, in the biomedical workforce. Here we propose a series of systematic interventions designed to sharpen critical thinking skills and develop grant and manuscript writing as well as presentation skills. Successful integration of these strategies will prepare IMSD scholars for the most competitive positions in the biomedical workforce.