University of Washington School of Medicine

Medical Student Research Training Program (MSRTP)

Summer 2017

Guidelines for Faculty Mentors

2016-2017 Abstract/Application timeline

2016

  • October 24:Faculty project abstracts due to Kellie Engle
  • November 9:Projects released to students
  • By November 23, 5pm:Student to email interest statement, including applicable experience and CV
  • By December 2:Deadline for faculty to offer PHONE* interviews
  • By December 9:Faculty notifies students of decisions (ideally within one week of interviews), copying Kellie

Students should accept/reject offers by December 14. If that deadline is missed, the faculty sponsor may make anoffer to another student.

*Our first year students are located across six WWAMI sites (Spokane, Laramie, Anchorage, Bozeman, Moscow, and Seattle) and we ask that you please conduct phone interviews with interested students to make the selection process as fair as possible.

2017

  • January 11:MSRTP applications due
  • February 22:Students and mentors notified of MSRTP Selection Committee decision
  • February 28:MSRTP student commitment due
  • May – August:Students conduct MSRTP project over a 10-week timeframe
  • Autumn:Poster Sessions at WWAMI sites

2018

  • March 15:Final paper due from student and faculty evaluation due from faculty mentor

THE PROGRAM

The Medical Student Research Training Program (MSRTP) provides funded opportunities for students at the
UW School of Medicine to participate in a full-time, 10-week summer research project under the supervision of a UWSOM faculty member with an Assistant, Associate, or Professor academic level appointment. Research projects can be in any of the following categories:

1)Laboratory Based Research

2)Clinical and Health Services Research

3)International Health

Note:Funding for international health projects through MSRTP is distinct from the Global Health Immersion Program, known as GHIP.All MSRTP-funded international projects must follow the Procedures for III/MSRTP International Projects which includes attending a Global Health fellowship orientation (offered in March).

OBJECTIVES

The MSRTP program is designed to provide students who have completed their first year of medical school with an appreciation of the nature of research, the manner in which data are collected and analyzed, and the form in which data are presented to the medical and scientific communities.

STIPENDS

Students receive a stipend for a 10-week period.Exact funding amounts depend on income from designated School of Medicine funds, contributions from sponsors' grants, and allocations from department budgets.Costs associated with laboratory set-up, materials, etc., are covered by the sponsor and are not covered by stipend support.

HOW TO MENTOR/SPONSOR AN MSRTP STUDENT

If you wish to mentor a medical student through MSRTP, you have two options:

(1)Provide a brief description of the project (1-2 paragraphs) using this Catalyst link no later than October 24, 2106.

Beginning November 9, project abstracts will be made available to students online on a secure page.Students and faculty will be expected to follow the Timelinefound on the preceding page of this document.Student applications must be received by the application deadline ofJanuary 11, 2017.

OR

(2)Arrange directly with a student to supervise a particular project.If you make such an arrangement, do not submit the project abstract under (1) above.Simply complete, with the student, the MSRTP application, which includes a description of the project (to be written by the student), and have the student submit it by January 11, 2017for consideration.The student can provide you with an electronic copy of the application form, if needed.

HOW STUDENTS APPLY FOR FUNDING

After you and a student have agreed to work together, the student should prepare an outline of the proposed research (written by the student).This should include a clear statement of:

1.The goal of the research, including a hypothesis and background

2.The experimental design of the project

3.The potential significance of the predicted results

4.A brief list of relevant references (5-10)

The student should then give you a copy of the application and together, you create a mutually agreeable work schedule/timeline.In addition, you are asked to provide a comprehensive sponsor statement evaluating the student's ability to carry out the proposed work, and to sign the application indicating your commitment to serve as the student's faculty sponsor for the project.A complete list of evaluation criteria used by the MSRTP Committee is printed below.

At that time, you also need to indicate any funding you can contribute toward the stipend.If you do not have funds available from your research program, please contact your department chair to see if funds can be allocated from the departmental budget.The difference between the funding you provide and the stipend will be covered by designated School of Medicine funds if the project is rated highly by the MSRTP Evaluation Committee.

The absolute deadline for receipt of the completed MSRTP application, which includes both student and mentor signatures, isJanuary 11, 2017.

EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS

Applications for the Medical Student Research Training Program are evaluated by the MSRTP Committee using the following criteria.

  1. The student appears to have written the application (but does not need to have independently devised the research project).Minor editing by the sponsor is acceptable (and encouraged).However, it is unacceptable for students to cut/paste from grant applications or from other student applications.
  1. Project description is clearly described with abbreviations defined.
  1. Student appears to understand why the study question/hypothesis is relevant, and has clearly described what needs to be done to complete the project.
  1. Student has a clearly defined “independent role” that allows her or himto make “an intellectual contribution to the project.”This is especially important for students who will be doing a sub-project within a larger project.The application needs to clearly define the student’s discrete project for which she or he is personally responsible.
  1. Project description includes a well-defined, testable hypothesis or question suitable to a 10-week project and the student’s level of research experience.
  1. Methods to be used for data collection and/or data analysis are clearly described; the methods are appropriate for the goal of the research; and the student will be involved in the analysis of data and interpretation of results.
  1. Student appears to have an understanding of how the results of the project will contribute to the knowledge in this field.
  1. Timeline is sufficiently detailed to convince the reviewer that the project and data analysisare likely to be completed within 10 weeks.
  1. The application addresses plans for obtaining human subjects/animal use committee approval in advance of the project start date.Please note that projects which require approval from multiple IRBs (including those conducted at the VA, which will also require UW IRB approval, and international projects) should be very explicit in how this will be accomplished. Students funded for VA projects in the past have been unable to obtain all required IRB approvals in time to complete their planned projects.
  1. Sponsor statement reflects an understanding of the student’s prior research experience, a plan to provide appropriate supervision throughout the 10 weeks, and a commitment to helping the student have a successful educational experience. Please note the firm limit of one student per primary faculty sponsor.

The evaluation committee meets after the deadline for receipt of applications.Each application is read by two members of the Committee.Acceptable projects are awarded funding based on these ratings until all funds are allocated.In this process, because of limited funding, some qualified projects may not be funded.The sponsors and students are notified by email of the committee's decision.

RESTRICTIONS

  1. Students must be currently enrolled in the University of Washington School of Medicine.
  1. Faculty sponsor and site of project must be affiliated with the WWAMI program.
  1. The faculty sponsor may only mentor one MSRTP student at a time.The evaluation committee reviews applications carefully to ensure that each student will receive the necessary supervision and have a discrete project of his/her own.
  1. Faculty sponsor must be experienced and familiar with the project topic and methods used in the study.They must also have skills and knowledge that complement those brought by the student.

5.The project must be independent (students not working together).Applications that are identical in any form to another student’s application will be considered evidence of lack of independence.

SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FROM SPONSORS

Every effort is made to fund as many applicants as possible.Funds for the program are limited and for this reason faculty mentors are urged to assist in funding the student's stipend from their own research grants.Even partial support from these sources is helpful and will allow additional qualified students to participate in the program.Please be sure to consult with your department administrators on the availability of stipend support and the appropriate budget number before committing to funding.You will have an opportunity to indicate any funding support on the student application form to be submitted in January.

Please contact Kellie Engle,206-616-7063, or ,if further information is needed.

Medical Student Research Training Program

Faculty Sponsored Project Abstract for summer 2017

Provide the following information, including a brief description of the project (1-2 paragraphs), using this Catalyst link no later than October 24, 2016.

Contact: Kellie Engle, UWSOM Curriculum Office, Box 356340, Seattle, WA 98195; or;

FAX: 206-616-3341

Project Title
Mentor Name & Title
Project Location
Mentor Campus Address or Box #
MentorTelephone
Mentor E-mail

Category(please mark any which apply):

Laboratory Based Research
Clinical and Health Services Research
International Health*

*Note: Funding for international health projects through MSRTP is distinct from the Global Health Immersion Program, known as GHIP. All MSRTP-funded international projects must follow the Procedures for III/MSRTP International Projects which includes attending a Global Health fellowship orientation (offered in March).

Project Description including student’s role (1-2 paragraphs):

University of Washington * School of Medicine * Box 356340 * Seattle, WA98195-6340

* PH: 206.616.7063 * FAX: 206.616.3341