Summer Research Training Program (SRTP)

Overview

The goal of the Summer Research Training Program (SRTP) is to encourage medical students to pursue their interests in medical research. SRTP enables first and second year medical students in Schulich Medicine & Dentistry to work under the supervision of a faculty member on a research project during the summer months, for one or two summers.  

Program Objectives

  • To allow medical students to gain exposure to research.
  • To encourage students to develop a scholarly approach to the practice of medicine.
  • To assist in choosing a career path after graduation.

Schedule

  • December 4, 2023 - Project proposals due into Research Office from potential supervisors
  • December 14, 2023 - List of SRTP Projects  and  SRTP Application made available to the Medicine Class of 2027.
  • December 2023 / January 2024 - Interested students review the available projects submitted by faculty members and contact potential supervisors.
  • January 22, 2024 - Deadline for submission of completed application from students and supervisors.
  • March 2024 - Students and supervisors are informed of the funding decisions.

Duration

Students participate in SRTP for ten weeks in the summer(s). SRTP requires a one or two summer commitment from both the student and supervisor. The project duration (one summer or two summers) must be specified in the project description and in the completed application. PLEASE NOTE: a one summer project cannot be extended to two summers at a later date. 

Remuneration

Schulich Medicine & Dentistry provides funds for one or two summers, in the form of a stipend, to support STRP participants. Participants will be receive a stipend of $5,000 per summer.  Participants are expected to work full-time (~35-40hrs/week) for 10 weeks on their project.

Eligibility

Students enrolled in the first year of the MD program at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry may apply for SRTP.  This includes students at both the London and Windsor sites.  Students enrolled in Schulich Medicine & Dentistry's MD/PhD program or students concurrently enrolled in a master's program are not eligible for SRTP, nor are students who already hold a PhD. Students who already hold a master's degree and wish to participate in SRTP may not work in the same laboratory where they received their graduate training.  

Awards

Students conducting a 2-summer SRTP project may be eligible for the following awards:

  • Dr. L. DeWitt Wilcox Award is given to a student who has demonstrated initiative, drive, awareness of research and the ability to persevere in completing an SRTP project. The award is intended to recognize the student's outstanding performance in research by permitting the student to present this research at the National Student Research Forum in Galveston, Texas.
  • Dr. Glen S. Wither Award for Research is given for outstanding participation in SRTP.
  • Horace and Clarice Wankel Memorial Award for Cardiovascular Research is awarded to a student demonstrating special interest in some area of research in cardiovascular diseases.

Conditions

Each year, approximately 25-40 students enter the first year of the program. If the number of applications exceeds the available funds, the SRTP Committee reserves the right to take into account the balance of disciplines and of types of projects in selecting participants. A project comprised either exclusively or primarily of a chart review is not a suitable project for the SRTP and will not be accepted. Further, a project that is primarily a literature review, a systematic review, or a case report will also not be supported by SRTP. Students and supervisors may only submit one SRTP application.

Participants are required to:

  1. Complete a research project, over one or two summers, under the supervision of a faculty member in Schulich Medicine & Dentistry.
  2. Student will work on the project 10 weeks, full-time (~35-40hrs/week) over the summer
  3. Attend all SRTP Seminar Series held in the morning of approximately four of the ten weeks during the summer.
  4. First-year SRTP students conducting a one-summer project will present their research at the SRTP Seminar Series.
  5. First-year SRTP students conducting a two-summer project will present their research at the SRTP Seminar Series during their 2nd summer.
  6. First-year SRTP students conducting a one-summer project will submit a report at the end of the summer
  7. First-year SRTP students conducting a two-summer project will submit an abstract at the end of the first summer and a report at the end of the second summer
  8. Depending on the source of funds, participants may be required to provide additional information to a funding agency.

Program Funding

The Summer Research Training Program is supported with funds from sources including:

  • Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
  • Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry clinical departments
  • Lawson Health Research Institute
  • Mach-Gaensslen Foundation of Canada
  • Margaret A. McCullough Heart Research Fund
  • Underwood Scholarship in Diabetes

Global Research Opportunities in Health (GROH)

International projects can be submitted through the Global Research Opportunities in Health (GROH) Program.

  1. GROH is part of the SRTP and the guidelines, procedure and deadline are the same.
  2. GROH projects will be expected to take place in a low to middle income country. Projects within Canada will be considered if they are based on research that is concerned with health matters that are without borders and involve marginalized or at-risk populations (eg. prison health, health of those experiencing homelessness, aboriginal health, refugee health, etc.). If you are unsure if a country and/or project meets GROH's requirements, please email srtop-srtp@schulich.uwo.ca. 
  3. GROH applications will be adjudicated using the same RIGOROUS criteria that is used for all SRTP applications. 
  4. Virtual research placement may be an option for GROH applications in the event that mobility is not possible for the summer 2022. Please identify in your GROH application if your research project can be conducted virtually.
  5. All the successful GROH applicants will be required to contact the Schulich International Office (international@schulich.uwo.ca) to arrange for the mandatory pre-departure training, medical risk assessment, mask fitting, out-of-country follow-up plan and other logistics pertaining to the research placement.