Summer Research Program (SRP)

Research Opportunity Search Engine 

2026 Program Dates:  May 26 through July 31
Application Deadline for Dean’s Contributions Fund: March 2nd

Note: For college students interested in the Summer Research Program, please access this link.

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 10 weeks.  Students are expected to work 40 hours weekly 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.

New Timeline for MS1 Online Application:

McGovern Medical School Student On-line Application period is January 15 – March 23, 2026. Once student submitted the online application, it will be automatically routed to the mentor.  MENTOR MUST APPROVE online application by 11:59pm CST, March 23rd.  (Deadline for Dean’s Contribution Funds is March 2nd by 11:59pm CST).

MS1 Online Application
Abstract
SRP Calendar
Research Opportunity Search Engine
Previous SRP Faculty List
Previous SRP Faculty Excel List 2023
Judges Evaluation – MS1 Research Proposal

Funding

There are potentially two sources of funding for the Summer Research Program.  Limited financial support is provided by the Dean’s Office of Educational Programs matching funds.  All students should apply to the Program to receive support.  Students who do not receive funding are encouraged to negotiate a stipend with their faculty mentor.  Students are also permitted to work as laboratory volunteers while still receiving full credit for the program.

McGovern Medical School students may apply for external fellowships, awards or scholarships to fund their summer research activities.  Typically funded by professional societies, these awards are for students seriously considering research in specific specialty areas. A few tips to consider when applying for an externally funded award:

• Start planning in the early Fall.  Most application deadlines are in January or February.
• Establish a mentor who is willing to work with you on the project.  Most proposals require a description of a research project, if so you will need a mentor who can guide and advise.
• Apply early.  These are competitive national awards; early applications will assure full review and allow time to apply for SRP funds should the fellowship not be received.
• Be aware and prepared.  Individual Fellowships may include additional requirements, including travel and presentations at annual meetings related to the specialty or society
• Communicate with the SRP Program Coordinator about the application and its outcome so that all are informed and SRP funding advisement can be given in a timely way.

List of external individual fellowships for professional students

Finding a Faculty Mentor

Students are encouraged to identify a faculty mentor early in their MS-1 spring semester. Review of past abstracts is recommended as well as speaking with students who participated in the program in the past. The SRP website contains the current faculty mentors who have agreed to serve as student research mentors.  This list does not represent a compilation of all faculty who are interested in accepting students. Students are free to identify any McGovern Medical School faculty member for collaboration. If you need help finding a faculty mentor, attend the Summer Research Opportunity Fair in the Fall. Departments/faculty will be available to talk with you about their research projects.  Students are welcome to reach out to [email protected].

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Program Opportunities

All students will have the opportunity for the following:

• Participation in the C. Frank Webber Prizes for Student Research Competition at the Summer Research Program Research Forum.
• Student abstracts will be published as a collection in the TMC Library’s Digital Commons as a McGovern Medical School Student Summer Research Program Collection.
• Upon successful completion of the program, a letter will be sent to OASA for inclusion in their Dean’s letter.

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Program Requirements

• Mandatory attendance at orientation.
• Attendance at weekly seminar-series lectures.
• Completion of 10-week program (encompasses 40-hour work week; no vacation is to be scheduled during the program with exception of Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, or by research faculty mentor approval.
• Abstract submission (end of September).
• Required attendance at closing program (last morning of program).
• Required poster at Research Forum (late October early November).

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