About the Program:

August, 2007

The Summer Scholar Research Program is designed to introduce veterinary medicine students to research in a wide array of areas such as clinical medicine, animal science, public health, epidemiology, pharmacology, biomechanics, neuroscience, immunology, parasitology, molecular genetics and cellular or molecular pathology. Participants choose to investigate specific issues that match their particular interest and the work of an established researcher. Scholars will work with faculty mentors and other research personnel for approximately three months (May-August). Through hands-on experiences, seminars and tours, students will gain valuable perspectives on the exciting roles played by veterinarians in biomedical and public health research.

Special courses and journal review groups will assist scholars in learning about critical thinking skills in research, preparing hypothesis-based proposals, designing statistically sound experiments, and appropriate interpretation and presentation of data. The training program is offered through Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, and applications for participants are being sought from students enrolled in ALL colleges and schools of veterinary medicine in the U.S.

Who is Eligible to Participate:

The program is open to first and second year veterinary students. Students enrolled in graduate programs are NOT eligible to participate. 

Stipend:

A stipend is awarded to students selected as Veterinary Research Scholars. This stipend covers the program period, May - August.

Application Procedures:

If you want to expand your mind by working in a stimulating research environment, submit an application on-line by February 1st. 

Research Scholar On-line application will request the following information:
A brief resume
Names and phone numbers of two references
One-page personal statement (related to the research program -- what you bring to the program or hope to gain as a participant)

Application Form

Selection Criteria:

Scholars will be selected based on the following criteria:
work and research interests / experience
stated long-term goals
communication skills
potential for success
academic performance

Deadlines:

Deadline for mentor proposal abstracts: January 31st.

February 4th is the deadline for having a completed application packet submitted online to the Office for Research and Graduate Studies at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University. 

March 15th - applicants will be notified of acceptance into the Veterinary Scholar Research program.

Match with Research Mentors:

The match between a Research Scholar and a Faculty Mentor is central to the Summer Scholars Research experience. Once students are selected as Research Scholars, several steps occur to create the appropriate match.  

Faculty mentors will have submitted a research abstract describing an important problem to be investigated and specific aims associated with the proposed research project. Then:

1. Lists of the selected mentors and their proposed projects are given to each of the student research scholars.
2. The scholars are asked to rank their preferences for participating mentors. Similarly, mentors will rank the students (based on the application information).
3. Next, matches are made by the program directors.  Following the match, scholars and mentors collaborate to complete research proposals. A committee will evaluate the proposals for scientific merit and will return recommendations to both the scholar and mentor. 

Link to Mentor Pages

Areas of Emphasis:

Areas to be emphasized in research training include:

Nondiscrimination Policy

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, 3680 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.