The Carolina Medical Student Research Program is a combination of 4 main funding sources: NIDDK Short Term Research Training Grant (STRT), Research Training in Otolaryngology/ Head & Neck Surgery, UNC Medical Foundation Co-Founders/Excellence Fund, and the UNC Medical Alumni Endowment Fund, which grant stipends for over 50 students to engage in research each year. Most projects are short term (8 to 12 weeks) and typically are conducted in the summer after the first year of medical school. A few one-year projects and short-term school year projects are funded, as money is available.

Each student finds their own mentor and develops a research project to submit with their application. The application process has been designed to mimic the grant funding process of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For students planning to apply for grants in the future, this program will provide an insight into the granting process.

Eligibility: Medical students who have completed one semester and are in good standing at their respective institutions. Most students (80%) participate the summer after their first year. Students are expected to work full-time on their projects. Students who are pursing a MD/PhD combined degree are not eligible for this program. Different funding sources have different eligibility requirements. The Office of Medical Student Research will work with students to confirm their eligibility before funds are awarded.

Funding: The Carolina Medical Student Research Program distributes stipend funding from the NIDDK funded Short Term Research Training Grant, the Research Training Grant in Otolaryngology, the UNC Medical Foundation Co-Founders/ Excellence Fund, and the UNC Medical Alumni Endowment Fund.

Requirements: Students are required to participant in a series of courses and informal meetings if these are held while they are doing their research. The Program may stipulate other alternative training sessions if research is being conducted from September-May. Check here for the calendar of events for Summer 2008. All students must have IRB/IACUC approvals before the start of the project. At the end of the research experience, students must submit a short paper and abstract describing their findings.

Stipend: The stipend amount awarded depends on the funding source and the length of the proposed research project. The average stipend amount for the NIDDK STRT grant and other funding sources was $4,800. The minimum award for students conducting short-term research projects for 2007 was $3,462.

Application Process: Deadline for funding for the summer (May through August) of 2008 is 5:00pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2008. Students interested in funding for one-year projects must submit their applications at this deadline. If you wish to pursue a research project between September-April, you may submit an application at any time.

Office of Medical Student Research
4th Floor, Bioinformatics Bldg., CB7555
School Of Medicine
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7555
strt@med.unc.edu / phone: 919-966-3997 / fax: 919-966-7592