Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Summer Research Program (SRP)
Will the Summer Research Program in person for virtually for Summer 2022? What is the timeline for the SRP? What is the program overview? Is Orientation mandatory? Is attending the Closing Ceremony mandatory?
We will have a better idea when it gets closer to the orientation date in May.
Click on this link to access the SRP Calendar.
If you are a McGovern Medical School at UTHealth first-year medical student, you can gain hands-on laboratory experience under the supervision of a faculty sponsor during the summer between your first and second year of medical school. As part of our program, you will receive special training in laboratory and radiation safety, laboratory animal methodology, research technology, and biomedical ethics. Also, as part of the program you will attend weekly seminars by guest speakers focusing on cutting-edge research and career development. As a summer research program student you will be guided by your faculty mentor on a research project over a 10-week period. Students are expected to work 40 hours per week on their research in their selected faculty mentor’s laboratory. At the conclusion of the program you will submit an abstract of your research. Your mentor will also help you develop a poster that must be presented at the annual Research Forum held in the fall.
Yes, there will be speakers from the McGovern Medical School. We will also conduct various trainings during orientation.
Yes, important announcements and your SRP certificate will be handed out during this time.
When does the online application become available? What is the MS1 online application link? What is the deadline for the online application? What is the application process? If my mentor asks for a letter of reference, who do I get letters from? What is the stipend amount for SRP MS1 students? How important is it to do well on my research proposal? Do I still receive a stipend if my research proposal is not one of the top ranking 60 proposals? After I have submitted my online application, how do I know when my faculty mentor has approved my proposal and submitted the online application on my behalf? What happens after my mentor has submitted my online application? You should be receiving an email from Mrs. Linh Trinh with some news by mid April if not sooner.
McGovern Medical School Student Online Application period is February 1 – March 18, 2022 (Online portal link opens February 1st).
Refer to this site to fill out your MS1 on-line application. You can also find the online application locating on the main MS1 SRP website.
Supporting documents must be received by 11:59pm CST, March 18, 2022. Note: Your mentor must e-signed the online application and hit the submit button by the deadline.
Refer to this link for more detailed steps.
If it is a research program, you should get letters that can speak to your research skills and interests. These would be from past research mentors, preferably the head of previous labs in which you had worked.
Refer to this Program Overview for more specific details on stipend distributions.
It is very important to do well on your research proposal as part of your online application. You are competing against your peers for the Dean’s Contribution Funds (DCF) of $2,500 (only top ranking 60 MS1 students will receive the DCF with your faculty mentor’s contribution fund of $1,500. Our goal is to award each student $4,000 for the 10 weeks.
We are asking your mentor/department to provide you support with a minimum of $2,000. You are encouraged to have a stipend discussion with your faculty mentor before the application deadline. Should your mentor mentioned there is no funding, please contact us at MSRO@uth.tmc.edu.
You will receive an auto email once your faculty mentor has successfully e-signed and submitted your online application. Your faculty mentor can log on and approve from any destination so long as there is internet access. It is your responsibility to stay in touch with your mentor to have the application turned in by the deadline.
During the first week of April, a selected number of McGovern Medical Faculty Judges will be assigned to judge your proposal. Each proposal will be judged by two judges. (Note: Your mentor will not be assigned to judge your proposal). Your name will not be attached or associated with your proposal for this process. Once the judges have turned in and all scores are tallied, Mrs. Linh Trinh will notify students, their faculty mentor, and department administrator via email to fill out a “Stipend Form”:
1. Top 60 students who received the Dean’s Contribution Funds (DCF) or
2. Those who do not make the list but has their faculty mentor’s contribution funds
How do I find a research mentor at MMS? Do I need a research advisor or mentor to apply for SRP? Do I need a research advisor or mentor to apply for other summer experiences? I found a mentor but my mentor doesn’t have any funding to support me for the summer. What should I do? How do I identify Research Areas of Interest and Finding a Mentor? What should I do after I have gone through the Faculty Mentor List and still not sure who to contact or the next steps? How long do I wait for a response from a mentor?
There are a variety of ways, most importantly go to events like Grand Rounds and research seminars, and talk to faculty and fellow students. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities. Websites and the SRP database are two great starting points. Also see document here entitled “Identifying Research and a Mentor”. Click on this link to look up faculty listing who have expressed interests in mentoring MS1 students.
Yes, for the MMS SRP you will need to identify a research mentor and work with them on your application’s research proposal.
Not necessarily, each fellowship or research program may be different. Read descriptions carefully for application requirements and deadlines.
Contact Mrs. Linh Trinh to discuss your options. It depends on the department areas. Some departments might set aside funding for programs like this.
Click on this link for more detailed information.
You have several options:
Allow 5-7 days for a reply before sending a follow-up message. If a second follow-up message does not receive a response, consider this a nonviable option and seek alternatives (next on the list).
My mentor is from MDACC, do I need to notify someone about this? A member of the MSRO staff will contact your mentor so that they are aware of the MMS Summer Research Program requirements. Students participating in MDACC SRP will also need to fill out an MMS SRP online application form and follow all program guidelines as other MS1 students. Upon successfully completing the program requirements, a letter will go in the blue book upon graduation. I got accepted into MDACC’s Summer Research Program, do I also need to fill out McGovern Medical School’s MS1 online application? How do I receive recognition upon graduation for participating in the MDACC’s Summer Research Program (SRP)? Program Requirements All students will have the opportunity for the following: Note: MMS MS1 SRP students participating in the MDACC SRP are not eligible to compete for the McGovern Medical School’s Dean Contribution Funds as part of the online application.
Yes, please contact Mrs. Linh Trinh as soon as possible and provide your mentor’s contact information to include:
a. Name of program at MDACC
b. Name
c. Department
d. Email
e. Phone number
f. Coordinator/or mentor’s admin person
g. Formal Name of MDACC SRP program
Yes, it is very important that you notify Mrs. Linh Trinh as soon as possible. Students participating in MDACC SRP will also need to fill out an MMS SRP online application form and follow all program guidelines as other MS1 students to get credit upon graduation.
Students will need to also fill out an MS1 online application found on the MS1 SRP website and follow all guidelines as those MMS SRP students.
My mentor is from Baylor, Memorial Hermann, or Methodist, do I need to notify someone about this? A member of the MSRO staff will contact your mentor so that they are aware of the MMS Summer Research Program requirements. Students participating in research outside of MMS will also need to fill out an MMS SRP online application form and follow all program guidelines as other MS1 students. Upon successfully completing the program requirements, a letter will go in the blue book upon graduation. Program Requirements All students will have the opportunity for the following: Note: If your mentor is not a fulltime (100% time) faculty at MMS, you are not eligible to compete for the McGovern Medical School’s Dean Contribution Funds as part of the online application.
Yes, please contact MSRO@uth.tmc.edu as soon as possible and provide your mentor’s contact information to include:
a. Name
b. Department
c. Email
d. Phone number
e. Coordinator/or mentor’s admin person
Scholarly Concentration Program (SCP)
What is the website for McGovern Medical School at UTHealth’s Scholarly Concentration Program? What is the program overview? Students participating in a Scholarly Concentration will engage in an independent, scholarly project guided by a faculty mentor. Examples of possible scholarly projects include, but are not limited to, the following: Students who successfully fulfill the concentration requirements will receive a certificate of completion and will be recognized at commencement.
https://med.uth.edu/oep/scholarly-concentrations-program/
The UTHealth Scholarly Concentration Program is designed to enrich the student experience through learning and scholarly activities specific to an interdisciplinary health-related topic.
What is the application link? What is the application process? * First-year medical students are eligible to apply in January upon successful completion of their first semester of work. Students will be notified of their application status by the director of the concentration. Acceptance in a concentration will be determined by the Concentration Director based on the student application, specific concentration requirements, and the number of positions available. Can I participate in more than one concentration? When should I fill out the online application form? When is the deadline for acceptance? Do I need to identify a mentor prior to filling out my online application for SCP? Once the online application has been submitted, how long does it take for the approval process?
Complete the online application
Interested students should:
Student success is everyone’s priority. Participating in more than one Scholarly Concentration could compete with and diminish the success and depth of each scholarly activity; therefore, participation in only one program is allowed. It is encouraged that you choose a concentration that best fits your current personal and professional interests. For added intellectual or clinical interests consider attending complementary academic forums, such as departmental seminars, grand rounds, or research meetings.
If you have identified a mentor, you can fill out the online application form as early as January.
We practice rolling acceptance for each concentration. There is not a set deadline date for the application but it is highly recommended to submit your application after you have submitted your Summer Research Program (SRP).
No, it is not necessary but it will help in expediting the admission procedure for the director(s).
Time varies from a few days to more than a week. Our office receives and auto email notification once your application has been submitted. Next step is for our office to seek your academic standing from Office of Academic and Student Affairs (OASA). Once that information has been confirmed, OEP will change your status to under the concentration director’s review. You should receive an auto email each time notifying you of the status of your application.
Do I need to identify a mentor prior to filling out my online application for SCP? Where do I find a list of mentors for each concentration? Potential mentors need to be approved by the Concentration director(s). Do I need to have the same mentor as the one from my SRP? You can locate the mentor list on the last page of each concentration’s curriculum. The following concentrations with an (asterisk) denotes the requirement to be in the SRP : 2. No, you can have a different mentor if you plan to enroll in a concentration that does not require you to participate in the SRP. What happens if I found a mentor but he/she is not listed on the concentration’s approved list? What if my SRP mentor does not get approved to be listed on the concentration’s mentor list? I am an MS2. Is it too late to enroll in the concentration?
No, it is not necessary but it will help in expediting the admission procedure for the director(s).
The approved list of mentors are located on the last page of each concentration’s curriculum. The list of Faculty who have previously participated in the Scholarly Concentration Program or have indicated a desire to work with medical students interested in research. The listing is not exclusive. Students may find other acceptable faculty through student societies, seminars, or institutional websites. Please approach potential mentors from our institution and if help is needed, reach out to the MSRO staff or the director(s) for assistance.
1. Yes, if you are planning to enroll in one of the concentrations that requires you to be in the SRP, your mentor needs to be from the approved SCP mentor list. If your SRP mentor is not on the approved concentration mentor list, the potential mentor needs to be approved by the Concentration Director(s). Your mentor will need to submit a brief but detailed information explaining how the research relates to the specific concentration. Send that information to Mrs. Linh Trinh and it will need to be approved by the Director(s) of the Concentration and Program. Once it has been approved, the mentor’s name will be added to the concentration mentor listing.
Contact Mrs. Linh Trinh regarding this. Your mentor will need to submit a brief but detailed information explaining how the research relates to the specific concentration. Send that information to Mrs. Linh Trinh and it will need to be approved by the Director(s) of the Concentration and Program. Once it has been approved, the mentor’s name will be added to the concentration mentor listing.
You will need to make a change in mentor. Work with the director(s) of the concentration to assist you with a mentor matching.
It depends on the concentration you are interested in and your prior research experience. Contact the MSRO for guidance.
Third Year Elective
What is the procedure for Third Year Elective? How long is the elective? What happens after I’ve completed my Third Year Elective?
Once you received the lotto from OASA, email Mrs. Linh Trinh. You will need to fill out the Third Year Elective Worksheet, have your mentor signed and send to Mrs. Linh Trinh and she will route it to the directors for approval. You will be notified when your request has been approved. Then, contact OASA – Yolanda Bell to add the course to your schedule. Note: you must submit your signed worksheet at least 30 in advance before your actual start date.
It is about three weeks.
An evaluation will be sent to your mentor for completion. Once your mentor submitted the signed evaluation, the course director will approve your evaluation before a grade will be entered into the system. If you do not see your grade posted in the system after a few weeks of completion, please contact us at MSRO@uth.tmc.edu.
Other FAQs
Do I need research for my residency program? I have done independent research and would like to let someone know my progress. Where do I submit my information? If I am interested in ‘academic medicine’, do I have to do research?
Possibly, always check with your MMS Advisor and faculty in the residencies of your choice. More competitive residencies will likely favor research experiences in their specialty area. MS1 and MS2 years are the times to engage in these explorations.
Please enter your research information in the Medical Student Research Office’s Medical Student Research Catalog.
Not necessarily, although many academic physicians do engage in research of various kinds (basic, translational, clinical, educational, behavioral, etc.). Academic medicine involves doing any combination of research, education, and clinical practice. For more information on what ‘academic medicine’ means and how to prepare for that career path see Mary Kollmer Horton’s presentation on this topic.