An individual from a disadvantaged background is defined as an individual who comes from the following:
A social, cultural or educational environment that has demonstrably and recently directly inhibited an individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop or participate in a research career and/or
A family with an annual income below established low income thresholds. For individuals from low income backgrounds, the institution must be able to demonstrate that such participants have qualified for federal disadvantaged assistance or they have received any of the following student loans: Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL), Loans for Disadvantaged Student Program, or they have received scholarships from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Scholarship for Individuals with Exceptional Financial Need.