Summer Research Trainee Program [SRTP] at Massachusetts General Hospital

The Multicultural Affairs Office at Massachusetts General Hospital is accepting applications for the 2011 Summer Research Trainee Program.

About the Summer Research Trainee Program (SRTP)
The Summer Research Trainee Program (SRTP), which was founded in 1992, attracts college and medical students from around the nation. The goal of this program is to inspire and develop students who are underrepresented in medicine (URM)* to consider academic medicine and research careers by immersing them in cutting-edge research opportunities. Twelve students, selected from a nationwide competition, join SRTP each summer. Students are assigned to specific Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) laboratories or clinical sites where they undertake original research projects under the mentorship of an MGH investigator. Research opportunities exist over a broad range of disciplines, including clinical, basic science, health policy and health services. Assignments are carefully considered and are made with the student's career interest in mind. In addition to the research experience, students will gain knowledge through weekly didactic seminars, both at the MGH and at Harvard Medical School, and have opportunities for clinical shadowing.

Program Terms
The Summer Research Trainee Program is a mandatory eight weeks in length, from June 13 to August 4, 2011. Students will be paired with a preceptor who will work closely with them, providing guidance and instruction. The student will participate in a new or ongoing project and assume increasing independence during the course of the program. Students are expected to:

• Attend a full day orientation on Monday, June 13, 2011
• Prepare an oral presentation of their work at the completion of the eight-week program
• Prepare an abstract of the research project
• Attend weekly didactic seminars
• Complete all program, hospital administrative and occupational health requirements (eg. vaccination)
  

A $4,000 stipend (includes housing and travel costs) will be provided to students participating in the program. The Multicultural Affairs Office will help facilitate lodging arrangements near the hospital.


Eligibility
The program is open to students underrepresented in medicine (URM)* who have completed at least three years of college and/or first and second year medical students. Exceptions are possible for sophomores with advanced laboratory experience.

URMs* for the purpose of this program are those individuals belonging to a particular ethnic or racial group which has been considered by the American Association of Medical Colleges and the National Institute of Health to be underrepresented in biomedical research; these include, among other groups, Latino/ Hispanic, African-American/Black, Native American, Native Hawaiian and Alaskan Natives.

Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents.
No prior research experience is necessary.

Click here for the SRTP Application Process

The deadline for completed applications is Friday, March 4, 2011. Please mail the application form with all the supporting documents to the mailing address listed below. Each application must include:

• 2011 Application form completed
• Personal statement
• 3 letters of recommendation (must be sent directly by authors)
• Resume
• Official transcript(s)
  

Please note that incomplete applications will not be evaluated or considered for this program and allow enough mailing time for the materials to arrive before the deadline.

Important Dates:
March 4, 2011: Application deadline
April 8, 2011: Selection decision
June 13, 2011: Start of program
August 4, 2011: End of program

The completed application and supporting documents must be sent to:
Multicultural Affairs Office
Massachusetts General Hospital
Attn' Summer Research Trainee Program
55 Fruit Street, Bulfinch 123, Boston, MA 02114

E-mail: mao@partners.org | Tel: 617.724.3832 | Fax: 617.724.6591
Website: http://www.massgeneral.org/mao