The Stanford Summer Research Program in Biomedical Sciences
Sponsoring Institution
Stanford UniversityApplication Deadline
February 1, 2004Dates of Internship
June 20 - August 14Synopsis
The Stanford Summer Research Program in Biomedical Sciences (SSRPB) is an eight-week residential internship program which provides hands-on laboratory experience for undergraduates from colleges and universities across the country. Designed for undergraduate students who would like to prepare for and enter Ph.D. programs in the biological and biomedical sciences, the program combines a rigorous research experience with comprehensive mentoring and advising. It provides a summer at Stanford that is both educational and informative.With one of the country's most distinguished faculty as well as extensive state-of-the-art research facilities, Stanford offers a unique opportunity for a top notch research experience in a beautiful location just 30 miles south of San Francisco. The main features of the program are described below.
Eligibility Eligible candidates are American citizens/permanent residents enrolled at undergraduate institutions who by, reason of their culture, class, race, ethnicity, work and life experiences, or skills and interests would bring diversity to graduate study in the biological and biomedical sciences. Minority undergraduates from the following targeted groups: 1) black/african-american, 2) chicano/latino, 3) puerto rican, 4) native american, 5) pacific islander are encouraged to apply.
Stipend The SSRPBS provides a $2,000 stipend, room and board, and transportation to and from the Bay Area.
Expectations
The underlying philosophy of the summer program is to train students by creating a very demanding environment that is also supportive. We have very high expectations for our participants, both to help prepare them for a potential career in the field of biomedical research, as well as to help them get the most from their stay at Stanford. Given the demand for each participant's time and energy, we strongly advise against involvement in other academic/extracurricular commitments (such as MCAT preparation) during the summer. Students are expected to work a full week in the laboratory, with weekend and late night work being quite common. Uniform guidelines for student research ensure that every research mentor or principal investigator understands these expectations, and can tailor their projects accordingly. As noted above, the program is in session at Stanford from late June to mid-August. While there are occasional opportunities for longer summer tenure, limitations on housing availability limit most options for a longer experience.Selection and Placement
With over two hundred faculty in the basic sciences, Stanford offers a very wide range of research opportunities. Several criteria are used in determining the laboratory match for each student participant. These include prior research experience, areas of interest as indicated on the written application, course background, and equally importantly, the availability of suitable projects and mentors in each research group required to train and oversee a participant. Great care is taken in placing students in a laboratory environment that will provide challenging projects which are intuitively accessible, which expose students to a broad range of research techniques, and also provide a degree of closure at the end of the eight-week period. A complete listing of faculty research areas is available on our web site.Mentoring
Comprehensive mentoring is a cornerstone of the Stanford Summer Research Program. Each student participant joins one of two mentor groups led by a Program Assistant (a Stanford graduate student or post-doctoral fellow). These mentor groups meet every Monday morning to discuss their work and to develop their plans for their final research presentations. Individual conferences with program assistants are also encouraged. Each student is also assigned a lab mentor who provides detailed training for the participant and who oversees the daily work in the laboratory. The faculty Principal Investigator for the research group consults regularly, and in some cases works directly with the undergraduate. In addition, the program's Faculty Advisor and the Program Director provide an additional layer of oversight; both meet regularly with each student over the course of the summer to monitor their progress, and to help evaluate the program's effectiveness. All program staff work closely with the laboratory mentors.Workshops
Weekly workshops are offered every Friday afternoon to cover a range of issues that students will face in their pursuit of a career in research. Topics include: GRE preparation, information about joint or combined graduate degrees, applying/interviewing, financing graduate education, careers in research, and the culture of science. Workshops dovetail with guest lectures and field trips to local biotech firms, and with visits to other Bay Area graduate schools.Presentations
Starting with the first week of residence and extending through the summer, participants work toward their final public research presentation. Through their mentor groups, students develop the skills of oral and poster communications. Weekly practice presentations are critiqued by the Program Assistants and other students to help develop basic oral and organizational skills, as well as to ensure that students have a firm grasp on their projects. At the program seminar on the last day of residence, each participant presents a poster representation of their research accomplishments as well as a ten-minute talk on the subject . The poster sessions and oral presentations are attended by faculty, fellows and students from the Medical Center and the main campus. Past participants agree that these sessions are a highlight of the summer's experience.Follow-up
After the conclusion of the summer experience, the Program Director and the Faculty Advisor stay in touch with each participant. Both collaborate in obtaining long-term feedback and assessments about the program, serving as resources in helping past participants obtain maximum benefits from their research and educational experience at Stanford, and as informal advisors as each participant explores future plans in the field of biomedical research.Applications
Application forms and additional information are available at the SSRPBS web site.Address
Kimberly Griffin, Director
Stanford Summer Research Program
300 Pasteur Drive, Alway Building M-105
Stanford, CA 94305-5501
Phone: 650-724-2815
Email: ssrp@med.stanford.edu
Return to Western Internships Last modified 05 November 2003