OXFORD/CAMBRIDGE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH Medical Research Scholars Program

The NIH, and Oxford and Cambridge Universities in Britain, have established acollaborative graduate program in biomedical sciences. Students typically spend 2 years in England at either school, pursuing tutorials and research on a collaborative project with an NIH intramural scientist. They then typically spend about two years in Bethesda, Maryland, continuing their thesis research project at the NIH, with doctoral degrees awarded by Oxford or Cambridge upon completion.  Students receive a stipend of $24,000 per year, health and travel benefits, and other academic support including tuition and lab fees in England and at the NIH until PhD degree completion.

The NIH is the largest biomedical research facility in the world and has trained over 100 Nobel laureates.  Students design their own project in consultation with faculty.

A UNC interview or formal endorsement is not required.

MD/PhD Program

Students can combine their PhD program with an MD from a US medical school with an existing Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP).

Eligibility

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, and must have courses in biology, chemistry (both inorganic and organic), physics, and mathematics. Outstanding academic
performance and exceptional promise for a career in biomedical research are important. Previous laboratory research experience is a strong qualification for this program.

Details
The next application deadline is in January, 2008. Oxford and Cambridge are formally separate programs, but admissions are combined so students choose after acceptance.
For further information see:
http://gpp.nih.gov/Applicants/ProspectiveStudents/Oxford/
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~chri1906/index.htm
http://gpp.nih.gov/Applicants/ProspectiveStudents/Cambridge/
http://www.gurdon.cam.ac.uk/~sj304/Nih-cambridge/home.html

Prior to application, please notify George Lensing, Director, Office of Distinguished Scholarships, 207 Graham Memorial Hall, or email.