NIH/Merck Fellowship
The Summer Student Research Program has been operational at the School of Veterinary Medicine since 1990. The program is currently funded by the Merck Foundation and by an NIH training grant. Other sources of support include funds from the Office of the Dean, the four Departmental Chairs, and the Marie Lowe Cancer Center. Since its inception, the program has funded 125 different students to perform biomedical research in the laboratories of 69 different faculty members at the University of Pennsylvania. The program provides a rich experience for veterinary students in the development of research ideas, the preparation of research proposals, the performance of biomedical research, and the presentation of research results in written and oral formats. Simultaneously, students are exposed to a wide variety of research topics through seminars and benefit from close association with University faculty.
To apply to the program, students interested in performing biomedical research discuss research ideas with participating faculty. All faculty members at the University of Pennsylvania are eligible to accept a student in the program. An advisory committee assists students in identifying faculty with interests compatible with student interests. Sources of information for selecting a faculty mentor also include graduate group web pages, departmental web pages, and the Biomedical Graduate Group faculty rotation book. The student and faculty mentor fill out an application package and write a short research proposal (approximately 3 pages) that is submitted to the advisory committee during the first week of March each year. The advisory committee reviews the applications with respect to academic standing of the student, quality of the research proposal, and training potential of the mentor's laboratory. Students whose applications are funded are notified by late March of their award.
Students perform full time research during the months of June, July, and August under the supervision of their faculty mentor. Throughout the summer, students participate in weekly seminars given by faculty mentors and guest speakers. Students also orally present their own work to other students in the program at the end of the summer. In September, students prepare a written manuscript of their work in the form of a research paper. The following March, all participating students submit their work to the Phi Zeta research symposium (the veterinary student research day). In prior years, two thirds of the Phi Zeta Symposium winners have been participants in the Summer Research Program. In addition to a stipend, students receive course credit for independent study.
For more information contact:
Michael Atchison, Ph.D. Program Director
NIH/Merck Summer Research Program
University of Pennsylvania
3800 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6010
Phone: (215) 898-6428 e-mail: atchison@vet.upenn.edu