Student Research Opportunities

Medical students at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford have many opportunities to participate in basic, clinical or community-based research. The Office of Research mentors and connects students to researchers in the surrounding communities and provides assistance with study design, Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements and statistical analysis.

Programs for students interested in research Heading link

The Office of Research offers several programs specifically targeting students interested in research:

The University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford’s Underrepresented in Medicine Student Research Program (UICOMR-URMSRP) is a 1.5- to 3-year research program aimed at stimulating and encouraging underrepresented individuals’ interest in research and scholarship. The program is made possible by the generous contribution of UICOMR alumnus Dr. Marygrace Elson, MD, MME, FACOG, and funded via the Marygrace Elson, MD ’82 Catalyst Fund. Administered by UICOMR’s Office of Research, the program selects one UI COMR student annually and provides up to $2,500 in funding for the duration of the student’s research project.

Background and Rationale:

The UICOMR Underrepresented in Medicine Student Research Program (UICOMR-URMSRP) was developed to provide eligible students an opportunity to engage in basic science, clinical, community, and/or translational research projects under the mentorship of experienced researchers and principal investigators. Eligible students are UICOMR students belonging to racial and ethnic populations underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population.

Objectives:

  • To provide UI COMR underrepresented in medicine students with outstanding opportunities for research training in a diverse and inclusive university environment at a leading academic medical institution.
  • To train participants in valuable technical skills relevant to conducting research (e.g. conducting literature searches, framing a research question, developing a hypothesis, gathering data, analyzing data, preparing a presentation, writing an abstract, etc.).
  • To provide trainees with insight into the structure of research and the steps leading to a successful research project.
  • To produce a research paper that could be submitted for publication.
  • To produce a research poster for the annual campus Research Day.

Applicant Eligibility:

UI COMR students who during the university application process identified themselves as African American, Native American, Alaska Native, or Latinx are eligible to apply. Applicants must be actively registered, not on a leave of absence and must currently have and continue to maintain good academic standing, which will be verified by the Office of Student Affairs.

Program Timeline:

  • May 3: Announcement disseminated to eligible students.
  • May 4-14: Individual or small group conversations between Office of Research and eligible students.
  • May 14: Call for applications sent out.
  • May 28: Intent to apply due. Students planning to apply for the URMSRP should indicate their intent to apply by emailing Daliah Brown at dzbrown@uic.edu.
  • May/June: Mentor Identification – the Office of Research will work with applicant to identify a research mentor.
  • June 30: Application due
  • July 16: Position offered to one (1) student. A welcome packet will be sent to the URMSRP scholar that includes all important dates and deadlines.
  • July 30: URMSRP scholar pledge due: URMSRP scholar signs pledge to fulfill all obligations including conducting a research under the supervision of a research mentor.
  • August 1: Beginning of research for the selected URMSRP scholar:
    • The URMSRP scholar will be expected to have quarterly update meetings with the Office of Research Director of Student Research. The URMSRP scholar is expected to present at the campus Research Day when their project has reached an appropriate level of completeness.

Application:

The UICOMR-URMSRP application must include the following components:

  • Cover page including the title of the proposal, student name, contact information, research mentor’s name, affiliation and contact information.
  • Research proposal 3-4 pages in length (single-spaced), followed by a bibliography (not included in page limits). The research proposal should include the following elements:
    • Specific Aims: principal aim(s) of the research project; a summary of the questions the student will ask and the methods that will be used
    • Background and significance: information to help the reviewer understand the context of the questions the student is asking and why they are important, as well as the clinical and/or basic science significance of anticipated outcome(s)
    • Experimental methods
    • Timeline: a proposed timeline encompassing the full 1.5 to 3 years of the project, stating when the different steps and goals of the proposal will be completed.
    • Mentorship statement (to be completed by research mentor): Describe skills the student will acquire as a result of this research program. Additionally, please specify who will actually be supervising the student, e.g. the faculty research mentor, other faculty member, post-doctoral research associate, graduate student, etc., as well as the frequency of meetings and whether meetings will be in person or via phone, e-mail, combination, etc.
  • Student applicant resume/curriculum vitae
  • One-page statement of interest explaining nature of interest in undertaking a research project for personal and professional development. Any prior research experience should be mentioned here; however, students are encouraged to apply regardless of past research experience.

Application Review and Scoring Criteria:

A committee of faculty will review the applications and prioritize applications based on merit. Position funding will be based on review priority score, with final funding decisions made by committee consensus. Preference will be given to applicants not previously selected for other Office of Research-funded research programs.

This is an honors program where selected students are paired with faculty research mentors who guide the students’ independent research project over the course of three to four years. Students are allocated a small budget for research expenses and travel costs associated with presenting their project at a national conference. Annually, about 40 medical students participate in the program.

The Walter Rice Craig Scholars Program enables selected medical students to engage in research under the guidance of a UICOMR faculty member the summer between their first and second years. The research must be conducted at the UICOMR. Students are eligible to receive financial support of up to $3,000. Applications open annually in January.

In partnership with OrthoIllinois, UI COMR offers a MD/MS in Clinical and Translational Science (MD-MS/CTS) joint degree program.  This program allows selected students the opportunity to pursue both a Master of Science degree in Clinical and Translational Science and their doctorate in medicine.  Joint degree program participants spend a year, between their third and fourth year of medical school, taking classes through the School of Public Health while working on research to increase their competitiveness for a residency in orthopedics. Similar programs in different disciplines are offered on other University of Illinois campuses and students from all campuses are able to apply for any of the programs.

This provides funding for research that improves healthcare delivery or expands the body of knowledge in an area of clinical research, educational research, and/or improves health in the community. The types of projects sought are those that provide the foundation for development of larger grants and/or develop, enhance or expand clinical, education or community research.  Five student awards of up to $2,000 are awarded annually.

The Student and Resident Research Travel Award is awarded to a medical student or resident who is presenting as a first author at a national conference.  Up to $1,500 for medical students and $500 for residents in reimbursement for conference registration and travel expenses is awarded.

Medical students interested in conducting research on rural topics should contact Hana Hinkle, PhD, (hhinkle1@uic.edu) from the National Center for Rural Health Professions.

See list of COM faculty and their research interests:

Learn about opportunities for fellowships, internships, summer programs, scholarships and grants that are available in the United States and abroad by searching the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) web-based searchable database that allows students to search for opportunities by type, specialty, duration, and location.

UIC Research Open Access Article Publishing (ROAAP) Fund:
The UIC Research Open Access Publishing Fund supports faculty, researchers, staff, post-docs, and students who want to make their journal articles free to all readers immediately upon publication, but are not supported by grants or contracts with funds to help cover open access or paid access publishing fees. The ROAAP fund provides financial support towards open access fees in open access journals.

Frequently Asked Questions Heading link

The Office of Research is located in the South building on the first floor.  Stop by the office suites in S135.

University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford (UICOMR) Students – Although research is not a requirement for medical students, the vast majority of UI COMR medical students report having been involved in research –  80.9% participation in 2019. Medical students at UI COMR have many opportunities to become involved in research, with faculty at the College as well as in the larger community.  The Office of Research’s mission is to increase student and faculty research productivity by providing support, research opportunities, programs, and funding for students and faculty. We have several programs that support medical student research, including the James Scholar Program, the Summer Craig Scholars, and the Student Travel Award.

University of Illinois College of Pharmacy (UICOP) Students – For COP students, the Office of Research provides statistical and IRB consultation and support.

University of Illinois College of Nursing (UICON) Students – For CON students, please check with your academic advisor for the particular program in which you are enrolled.

The first step for UICOMR medical students interested in conducting research is to schedule a meeting with the Office of Research.

The Office of Research can provide guidance to students from ‘where do I begin’ to ‘how do I get my completed research published’. This includes assistance in identifying a research project, finding a research mentor, project design and data collection advice, IRB review, funding, statistical analysis, and publication.

UI COMR Students – We have several programs that support medical student research, including the James Scholar Program, the Summer Craig Scholars, and the Student Travel Award.

Human Subject Research is federally regulated to insure protection for all human subjects. The Institutional Review Board (IRB #00000616) of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford has a separate Federal wide Assurance (FWA #00005607), from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), and reviews all human subjects’ protocols conducted on or by faculty and students associated with the UIC Health Sciences Campus – Rockford (UICHSC-R). Therefore, anyone conducting Human Subject Research needs to have his or her research project approved prior to initiating the research.

Under the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) is charged with the responsibility of reviewing and monitoring all research (whether funded or not) involving human participants. The IRB is concerned with protecting the welfare, rights, and privacy of humans participating in research. The IRB has the authority to approve, disapprove, monitor, and require modifications in all research activities that fall within its jurisdiction as specified by both the federal regulations and institutional policy. The IRB has nine members of varying backgrounds in order to provide complete and adequate review of human research and its institutional, legal, scientific, and social implications. The Board will also include at least one member who is not affiliated with the institution and one member who is not a scientist.

Any research that requires interacting with humans or working with identifiable information about a living human (typically medical records) is considered human subjects research. The official wording from the federal research regulations is “Any systematic investigation that is designed to develop or contribute to general knowledge, and which involves living humans about whom an investigator obtains information through intervention or interaction or obtains identifiable private information, qualifies as human subject research.”

IRB approval is obtained by completing and submitting an application along with supporting documents to the IRB at UICHSC-R. UICHSC-R uses a web-based platform, IRBNet (www.IRBNet.org).  Research projects receive different levels of review based on the risk and/or populations being researched resulting in different forms needing to be completed. It is highly recommended that students communicate with Jessica Gilles (jgorma2@uic.edu or 815 395-5942) assistant director of research, review and education, about their project prior to starting the IRB application process.

External Summer Research Opportunities Heading link

The POST program is designed for graduate and undergraduate medical students who have an interest in pediatric oncology research and would like to experience the field first hand.  Students train with a pediatric oncology research mentor.  Students must be able to dedicate at least eight full consecutive weeks to the program and start between May 1 and August 31 (dates may vary depending on the student’s scheduled break).  Maximum stipend is $5,000.  Deadline to apply is mid-February.

AACAP Summer Medical Student Fellowships offer a chance for medical students to explore a career in child and adolescent psychiatry, gain valuable work experience, and meet leaders in the child and adolescent psychiatry field. The fellowship opportunity provides up to $3,500 for 12 weeks of clinical or research training under a child and adolescent psychiatrist mentor. Participants are required to attend the AACAP Annual Meeting in October. (Complimentary registration and travel reimbursement for the Annual Meeting are included in addition to the fellowship stipend).Deadline to apply is early March.

The AATS Summer Intern Scholarship program introduces the field of cardiothoracic surgery to first- and second-year medical students from North American medical institutions. By providing an opportunity to spend 8 weeks during the summer working in an AATS member’s cardiothoracic surgery department, the summer intern scholarship provides medical students with insight into the scientific investigation and study of cardiothoracic surgery. A grant of $2,500 is provided to successful applicants to underwrite their living expenses during the eight weeks of guidance at the selected host institution. Additionally all awardees will receive complimentary registration to the association’s Annual Meeting and postgraduate courses that takes place in May. Application deadline is mid-December.

The Medical Student Summer Fellowships are $3,000 stipends grants to current medical students wishing to spend a summer conducting brain tumor research with esteemed scientist-mentors. The intent of this program is to motivate talented medical students to pursue a career in neuro-oncology research.  The fellowship start date is determined by the mentor and should extend 10-12 weeks over the summer. Deadline to apply is late January.

The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) is sponsoring nutrition internships for medical students. Each student will work under a recognized authority in clinical nutrition in a U.S. medical school or hospital. The internships will last eight weeks and usually will be scheduled in the summer, but other times may be arranged. Each student will receive a $2,500 stipend for the eight-week internship. Application deadline is mid-March.

The MMSAP is an eight-12 week summer research experience for underrepresented minority students in their first or second years of medical school.  The program provides a $5,000 stipend and a travel allowance. Deadline to request a mentor is mid-November. Deadline to apply is mid-January.

The purpose of the ASTRO Minority Summer Fellowship award is to introduce students from backgrounds that are under-represented in medicine to the discipline of radiation oncology early in their medical education.  The experience is designed to expose students to clinical, basic and translational research questions in radiation oncology.  This is an eight-week program with a stipend provided.  Deadline is early February.

The scholarship supports a 10-week summer semester of research under the supervision of a neurosurgical mentor at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and residence expenses in Portland, Oregon. Students in the first or second year of study at an accredited U.S. medical school are eligible to apply. One scholar will be selected annually. Campagna scholars will receive $5,000 for support of travel to and living expenses in Portland. Scholars are eligible for up to $2,500 additional award to support travel to a national neurosurgical meeting to present the results of their research project, under the supervision of their mentor. The OHSU neurosurgical faculty mentor also receives up to $2,500 to cover research expenses. Medical students with a serious interest in neurological surgery are encouraged to apply. Application deadline is in February.

Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics’ Division of Orthopaedics has funded one-to-two scholarships for students to do research with orthopaedic staff and faculty. The purpose of this program is to address important questions that affect the health of Children’s Mercy patients and to introduce promising students to the fields of pediatric orthopaedics and pediatric rehabilitation.  A stipend is granted to students who devote 20 hours per week during the summer months.  Deadline to apply is early December.

Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics’ Division of Orthopaedics has funded one-to-two scholarships for students to do research with orthopaedic staff and faculty. The purpose of this program is to address important questions that affect the health of Children’s Mercy patients and to introduce promising students to the fields of pediatric orthopaedics and pediatric rehabilitation.  A stipend is granted to students who devote 20 hours per week during the summer months.  Deadline to apply is early December.

The Chinese American Medical Society (CAMS) offers scholarships for medical students working on summer research projects. The research can be basic science or clinical in nature but must be completed in a 10-week time frame.  Preferences will be given to proposals studying problems related to health problems of the Chinese. Deadline is March.

This fellowship is open to all medical students in the United States and Canada with an interest in the socio-economic issues that impact the field of Neurosurgery. This is an opportunity for medical students to spend eight-10 weeks conducting supervised research on a socio-economic topic that affects neurosurgery today. Stipend is $2,500.  Deadline to apply is mid-February.

This program offers financial support for students to spend time performing research on topics relevant to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), or Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, for a minimum of 10 weeks. Deadline is March 15, annually.

The program, through the New York Academy of Medicine, offers fellowships of $4,000 each, for up to five grants, to support summer projects for first-year medical students. The Rogers Fellowship projects are 10 and 12 weeks and are intended to focus on coupling medicine with the needs of underserved or disadvantaged patients or populations.  The content of the Fellowships might range from clinical investigation through community activities or health policy analysis, to activities linking biomedicine, the social infrastructure, and human need.  The deadline for submissions is usually in early January.

The Endocrine Society offers Summer Research Fellowships to encourage promising undergraduate students, medical students and students entering graduate school to pursue careers in endocrinology. The Society provides each student with a $4,000 stipend to participate in research projects under the guidance of a Society member for eight to 12 weeks during the summer. Application period is early December.

The EMF/ Society for Academic Emergency Medicine encourages medical students to engage in and to be exposed to emergency medicine research. Emergency Medicine research is broadly defined as scientific investigation designed to furnish new knowledge relevant to emergency medical care. Such investigations may focus on basic science research, clinical research, preventive medicine, epidemiology, cost-containment, and research in emergency medicine teaching and education. Deadline is early February.

Fight for Sight funds basic or clinical research in ophthalmology, vision or related sciences by individuals with limited or no other research funding. Deadline is February 15.

The Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. (LFA) is offering Student Summer Fellowships to foster an interest among young researchers in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Undergraduate, graduate and medical students are eligible to apply. Student summer fellowships are awarded annually Amount of award is $4,000. The LFA Medical/Scientific Advisory Council will review all applications. Application deadline is early April.

The Gold Foundation offers a Student Summer Fellowship program. The grant award includes funding up to $4,000 for a research or service project.  Medical students may apply for either the Research Fellowship or the Service Fellowship program. Deadline to apply is March.

The Guggenheims established the Guggenheim Family Neurosurgery Scholarship with the residual estate of their late son, Jean-Pierre, to provide funding for medical students who are interested in pursuing Neurosurgery training through an annual summer research program. Deadline is the end of March.

An eight-week mentored, summer research program designed to enrich medical students’ interest in research and health-related careers. In addition to a mentored clinical/translational research experience, VRIP students will participate in weekly seminars with Harvard faculty focusing on topics such as research, methodology, health disparities, ethics and career paths. Eligible participants are first- and second-year medical students, particularly underrepresented minority and/or disadvantaged individuals in good standing from accredited U.S. medical schools and U.S. Citizens. The program provides a stipend and transportation reimbursement of up to $400 toward the cost of traveling to and from Boston. Deadline is mid-January.

The Heart, Lung and Blood Summer Research Program through Case Western Reserve University is designed to engage 12 diverse undergraduates and 8 medical students in state-of-the-art biomedical research in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematological and sleep disorders research. Students who belong to groups underrepresented in biomedical sciences are eligible to apply.  Stipend of $1,750 per month provided, minimum of two months.  Deadline to apply is March 1.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Foundation and HIV Medicine Association initiative — G.E.R.M. was developed to provide grants to medical students to support a longitudinal mentored clinical learning and/or research project for up to a year, on infectious diseases-related topics including HIV under the mentorship of an IDSA or HIVMA member. This program will replace the IDSA Medical Scholars and HIVMA Medical Students Programs. Deadline to apply is early February.

Johns Hopkins University is recruiting qualified medical students to work in their summer program. Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth provides academically talented young students aged 8-16 the opportunity to take rigorous summer courses in mathematics, science, computer science, humanities and writing. Medical students during the summer between their first and second years are needed for the position of health assistant. The health assistant is responsible for maintaining the medical records of all of the students at the site, escorting children to clinics and emergency rooms as needed, and helping to administer prescribed medications and basic first aid to the students. Although the job does not require diagnostic skills, an interest in medicine is certainly an asset. Health assistants regard their summer experience as a challenging, rewarding, and educational opportunity (stipend provided).

The University of Kansas Cancer Center will be sponsoring a Student Summer Research Training Program this summer for a maximum of four students (college undergrad, graduate or medical students).  The project will span for eight weeks, beginning in early June until the end of July and a stipend of $3,000 is provided.  Student must submit an application and a minimum of one letter of recommendation (preferably from mentor or other teacher).  Mentors must be a current Cancer Center Member and must submit a research project for consideration.  It is advisable that a mentor and student interested in working together submit their Project Descriptions and Student applications at the same time.  Notices will go out in January to all Cancer Center members, and the application deadline is in early February. Students interested in the summer program should contact Susan Harp at sharp@kumc.edu to obtain an application.

The Summer Research Fellowship was created to address the need for clinical investigators from diverse backgrounds. Health needs of U.S. minority populations have been studied inadequately, due in part to the shortage of clinical investigators belonging to underrepresented groups. Although the number of clinicians belonging to underrepresented groups has increased, there has not been a corresponding increase in clinical investigators. Members of groups that the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine considers underrepresented are eligible to apply. The program lasts eight to 10 weeks with a stipend provided. Deadline to apply is February 1.

The 10-week program provides interested students with an opportunity to participate in biomedical research experiences related to oncology and to be introduced to the clinical problems presented by cancer patients. At the end of their summer experience, students will submit their research data in journal article format. Participants in the program receive a stipend of $5,000 for the 10-week period. Application deadline is usually in mid January.

Medical Student Anesthesia Research Fellowships provide students with a challenging and rewarding experience that exposes them to the opportunities within the medical field of anesthesiology and research.  The fellowship provides medical students with an eight-week research experience within an academic anesthesiology department and a $400 per week stipend. Deadline to apply is late January.

Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health through the NIDDK and allows medical students to conduct research under the direction of an established scientist in the areas of diabetes, hormone action, physiology, islet cell biology or obesity at an institution with one of the NIDDK-funded Research Centers during the summer between the first and second year or second and third year of medical school. The Program helps students gain an improved understanding of career opportunities in biomedical research and a comprehensive understanding of diabetes, its clinical manifestations and its unsolved problems. Deadline is early March.

The Medical Student Summer Clinical Externship (MSSCE) program has been developed for medical students with a strong desire for clinical experience in the field of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) and who are eagerly seeking opportunities to see patients.  This program aims to provide a wide range of inpatient and outpatient clinical exposure and to allow students to explore the human side of patient care and the psychosocial environments their patients face through an eight-week summer externship with an attached stipend of $4,000. Deadline is early February.

Administered by AFAR and the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the MSTAR Program provides medical students with an enriching experience in aging-related research and geriatrics, with the mentorship of top experts in the field. This program introduces students to research and academic experiences early in their training that they might not otherwise have during medical school.  Students participate in an eight- to 12- week structured research, clinical, and didactic program in geriatrics, appropriate to their level of training and interests.  Deadline to apply is late January.

Washington University/Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology co-sponsored 10-week, full-time program provides an introduction to current radiological sciences research. Participants develop close interaction between clinical and research sections for possible correlation of biological concepts and clinical activities.  Applicants selected will receive a $5,000 stipend. Deadline is late January.

A research program for first- and second-year students at US medical schools who are interested in careers as physician-scientists in the field of oncology and/or related biomedical sciences. Funded since 1977 by the National Cancer Institute, this program grants students the opportunity to conduct basic laboratory or clinical research under the mentorship of MSK faculty. Deadline is December.

The Center for Injury Research and Policy in the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital will host its annual Injury Research Program for medical students.  Students selected to participate will receive a $3,000 stipend to help cover travel and living expenses.  The training period is eight weeks.  Students will work 40 hours per week from June to early August (some flexibility on these dates is possible).  Deadline to apply is mid-January.

Summer programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide an opportunity to spend a summer working at the NIH side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research.  Internships cover a minimum of eight weeks, with students generally arriving at the NIH in May or June.

The NREF fellowships are provided to students whose research projects are aimed at the better understanding, treatment and prevention of neurological disorders along with improved patient care. Fellowships in the amount of $2,500 are awarded to medical students in the United States, Canada or Mexico who have completed one or more years of medical school and wish to spend a summer mentored by a neurosurgical investigator sponsor who is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). Deadline early November.

The KUMC Department of Radiation Oncology is sponsoring an eight-week summer research training program for one student (college undergrad, graduate or medical student).  The project will run from June – July, and a $2,000 stipend is provided. Deadline to apply is March 1.  For more information and application, contact Mindi TenNapel at mtennapel@kumc.edu.

The Reading Hospital is offering six-week internships in our Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology and Infectious Disease Departments. We have seven internships available — two interns will be based in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and Obstetrics Gynecology and will spend half of their time in research and half as clinical observers; one intern will spend the majority of time in Infectious Disease research, but will also participate in didactic sessions. Deadline is early March.

This is an eight-week Summer Externship program, sponsored by the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of Northwestern University Medical School. The externship program is held at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), located in downtown Chicago at the McGaw Medical Center. This program offers a unique and early clinical exposure related to the care of persons with acute and chronic disabilities for comprehensive rehabilitation. Primarily, students will assist in the clinical management of patients admitted to RIC. In addition, students will participate in a research project in a rehabilitation related field. There will be ongoing didactic and in-service efforts directed at the M1-M2 student level. The program usually begins in June and continues through July. Each student will be awarded a $3,000 stipend for participation in this eight-week program. Deadline to apply is early January.

The Robert L. Mayock Student Research Fellowship provides opportunities for medical students and undergraduate students in their senior year of college to work full-time for eight-10 weeks during the summer/fall in one of the research laboratories of the Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division of the University of Pennsylvania. Deadline to apply is early March.

Expand your horizons in the care and treatment of the cancer patient by participating in state-of-the-art clinical research. Explore the mysteries of the cancer cell by participating in a basic science research program, or both. Special emphasis is placed on cancer prevention through lectures and practical experiences. The program offers a stipend for students to engage in research for an eight-week period. The program runs June-July, however dates may be changed to accommodate student schedules. Application deadline is early January.

The Silberstein Research Fellowship program is for students in the first year of medical school seeking an early start to clinical experience in the orthopaedic field. This is a two-to three-month commitment during the summer. Fellows will work with the pediatric orthopaedic surgery faculty and the Poggi research fellow to bring a project to substantial completion and eventual publication. Deadline is early March.

The Simon Kramer Society Externship in Radiation Oncology, awarded annually, provides a unique opportunity for up to two medical students to obtain a six-week experience in Radiation Oncology. Stipend provided in addition to partial travel allowance. Date of externship is flexible during the summer (May – July). Stipend: $750, in addition to partial travel allowance. Applicants must be first or second year medical students in good standing. Deadline is late January.

Siteman Cancer Center invites undergraduate, graduate and medical students to participate in the Leah Menshouse Springer Summer Opportunities Program. This program is designed to provide participants with hands-on cancer research experience for 10 weeks over the summer (May-August). Opportunities range from basic science research to clinical research to prevention/control and population research. Stipend provided. Deadline to apply is mid-January.

NIH/NCI-funded Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program – The Pediatric Oncology program offers a unique opportunity for students preparing for careers in medicine to gain biomedical and oncology research experience.  Medical students will work in clinical research with physicians and staff in areas such as chart review, record screening and examination, data collection and entry and may also apply to attend clinics and observe procedures.  POE students must be a United States citizen, non-citizen national, or possess a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States. Medical student trainees spend 10-11 weeks in the program. Participants will receive $480/week and pre-paid group housing is provided for students coming from outside the Memphis metropolitan area. Members of under-represented ethnic minority groups and women are particularly encouraged to apply. Deadline for applications is January 1.

SORFP, sponsored by CHLA and USC (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and at the USC Keck School of Medicine) for more than 30 years is being offered for the Summer. Fellowships have traditionally gone to students from universities and medical schools throughout the United States. Prior candidates have been exceptional students; many are now in academic positions, including full-time cancer research. This program is intended to provide the highest quality experience for first-year medical students pursuing interests in oncology research. Stipend Provided.  Application deadline is mid-December.

Travel to the Rocky Mountains for a week of education and discussion on patient safety and quality.  The Telluride Science Research Center(TSRC) has been home to the Telluride Patient Safety Education Roundtable & Student/Resident Summer Camps for ten years, and continues to provide excellent lodging resources and a classroom environment conducive to relaxed learning that allows for both the creativity and openness that stimulates real change.  Students who are excepted receive a full scholarship covering room, board, transportation voucher and all educational costs.  Application deadline is January 15.

The Vanderbilt Student Research Training Program (SRTP) is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and allows medical students to conduct research under the direction of an established scientist in the areas of diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, or digestive disease at Vanderbilt during the summer between first and second year or second and third year of medical school.  Program offers career advice and clinical and research seminars about diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, or digestive disease. Stipend $2,000 per month. Deadline to apply is in February.

The Walter Rice Craig Fellowship Program enables medical students to engage in research under the guidance of a UICOMR faculty member the summer between their M1 and M2 years. The research must be conducted at UICOMR. Students are eligible to receive a $2,700 stipend and are expected to work on their project during the summer months. Students present their project at UICOMR’s Annual Research Day. Deadline to apply is March.

Ask the Office of Research Team Heading link

Students and faculty can reach out directly to the Office of Research Team to ask any question that may require a quick answer through the “Ask the Office of Research Team” form. In this way, students and faculty are not limited to meeting in-person on certain dates and times to get help.

If more in-depth help is needed, please email Daliah Brown and Jessica Gilles to schedule a meeting with an Office of Research team member.

Director of Student Research
Weihai Zhan
Director of Student Research
Assistant Director of Research Review and Education
Jessica Gilles
Assistant Director of Research Review and Education
Administrative Aide
Daliah Brown
Administrative Aide