Our Mission
The Biomedical Science Careers Program (BSCP) inspires members of every race, ethnic background, gender, and financial status to ask, “Why not me?”
We meet the students where they are in their journey; provide a community to network and connect; and with encouragement, support, and guidance, help them achieve their potential in pursuit of biomedical science and other science-related careers.
Our History
BSCP was founded in 1991 by Dr. Joan Reede at Harvard Medical School after a transformative conversation with a student. While Dr. Reede was serving as a mentor at a conference at MIT, one of the attendees–a young Black woman from Roxbury Community College–said to her, “I had no idea a Black woman could be a doctor.”
Think about that: in 1990, a student in Boston, Massachusetts didn’t think it was possible for someone like her, a Black woman, to be a doctor! Dr. Reede set out to change that…
“If we come together to help nurture and support these individuals, not only will they be successful, we will be more successful. These are our future leaders.”
Dr. Joan Reede
Founder of BSCP
More than 35 years later, BSCP has served more than 18,000 young people from all backgrounds and walks of life.
What began on a local scale now has national reach. And more than 2,500 students and fellows directly benefit from BSCP programs each year.
Our Future
Because this work has never felt more critical, we aim to ensure our programs are available for decades to come. We envision a future where all students—no matter where they come from—can see their most ambitious dreams as achievable goals and have the guidance, information, and resources to make them a reality.
Right now, young people interested in science and medicine are facing more needs and challenges than at any other time in BSCP’s history. And the impact is felt most by those who already face the highest barrier to entry.
We want to be at their side—every step of the way—as they pursue excellence in the biomedical fields. We aspire to help students navigate today’s challenges and whatever comes next.
Currently impacting 2,500 students per year, BSCP hopes to more than double that number by 2035 with even greater representation from across the country.
Your partnership and support will help us build on this history of success and impact future generations in science and medicine across the United States and beyond.
