About the MSSRP

The College of Medicine sponsors the Medical Student Summer Research Program allowing medical students from any U.S. medical school to experience laboratory research firsthand. Students who have completed their first year of medical school spend 9-10 weeks conducting research and analyzing data in the clinical and basic science research laboratories of established faculty investigators. The program is designed to expose students to the methods and techniques used in biomedical research. Because this grant is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), preference will be given to mentors funded by these disciplines.

Students may identify faculty mentors using the following resources:

• Identifying a research mentor provides medical students with additional information on potential faculty mentors based on areas of interest. Individual faculty pictures can then be highlighted to provide additional details, including contact information.
• The UC Research Directory allows users to enter keywords or search for UC experts based on last name, grant funding, or type to studies conducted.
• The Medical Scientist Training Program maintains a list of UCCOM/CCHMC faculty and their research projects.
• Through NIH Reporter using Cincinnati as the search term in the "City" field students may identify a potential mentor.
• This approach only identifies researchers with active NIH research support and does not include non-US government, foundation, private, or industry-sponsored grants or funding.

To apply, the student submits a research proposal describing the specific project through the UCCOM CommonApp. UC and non-UC students use the same application site. Applications are evaluated by a College of Medicine committee with up to 12 students chosen for funding. Successful applicants receive a stipend up to $6,800 with an additional amount up to $500 for lab supplies and poster printing.

In early summer, each awardee presents a 10-minute description of their project. In the fall, participants present their final results at the UCCOM Research and Service Symposium. Two first-place winners are then selected to represent the college at the National Student Research Forum in Galveston, Texas, in April of the following year. 

In addition to this program, many other opportunities exist for pursuing summer research; you may find these under internal and external research on the Office of Medical Student Research webpages.