Disclaimer: The listings here are provided as a benefit and a resource to students. Brown does not endorse or promote any particular third party entity’s program. The linked opportunities will take you to the third party provider’s website where you can obtain information about the specific program. You can then determine on your own whether you are eligible and interested in applying or participating.
Scholarly research can be an excellent part of your educational and career exploration. We recommend you look for opportunities that resonate with your interests and are a good fit for your goals. To learn more about the best ways to integrate research into your pre-health/pre-medical education, refer to Gaining Experience in the Health Professions.
Brown University presents multiple opportunities to engage with research. Exploring the links below will give you a sense of the breadth of these opportunities. The Directory or Research and Researchers at Brown, BURO, and BrownConnect are the University's main databases. Research that takes place at a hospital or involves interaction with patients or research subjects involves a variety of approval and certification steps. These are similar to the HIPAA certification process that enables students to volunteer at hospitals or other clinical facilities and are managed by the clinical facility where the research takes place. Most laboratory research projects that take place on campus may not require extensive certification or clearance.
There are also a great number of summer programs at institutions nation-wide that provide foundational or in-depth experience with scholarly research. Most of these programs require an application mid-winter to early spring. They frequently require letters of recommendation and a resume. To prepare well, plan ahead.
Consult CareerLAB's website and advisors for assistance with resume and cover letter writing. The list below is not exhaustive and we encourage you to explore a variety of options that fit with your educational and careers goals.
Brown University
The College Research Awards Page
The Directory of Research and Researchers at Brown
BURO (BioMed Undergraduate Research Opportunities)
Undergraduate Research and Teaching Awards (UTRA)
Linking Internships and Knowledge Awards (LINK)
CareerLAB's Handshake job and internship board
Summer Programs in Multiple Locations
AAMC Summer Undergraduate Reserach Programs
AAMC MD/PhD Summer Undergraduate research programs
Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) - formerly Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Nemours Children's Health System Summer Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program (NSURP)
Northeast
Boston--Undergraduate Immunology Summer Program at Harvard Medical School
Scarborough, ME--Summer Student Research Program (SSRP), Maine Medical Center Research Institute
New York City--Columbia University/Barnard College Amgen Scholars Summer Research Program
New York City--Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) at Sloan-Kettering Institute
New York City-- New York Blood Center Summer Intenship for Undergraduates
Philadelphia--Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Summer Scholars Program
Bethesda, MD--NIH Academy Program
Bethesda, MD--Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA)
Pittsburgh, PA--Magee-Women's Research Institute, College Student Summer Internship
Wilmington, DE--Nemours Summer Undergraduate Research Program, A.I. duPont Hospital for Children
Midwest
Ann Arbor, MI -- UM-SMART Summer Undergraduate Research Program (of particular interest to students interested in MD-PhD programs)
Chicago, IL--Pritzker School of Medicine Experience in Research - PSOMER
Cincinnati, OH--SURF Program at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
St. Louis, MO--Summer Opportunities Program – Siteman Cancer Center
South
Nashville, TN--Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy
Memphis, TN--The Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Richmond, VA--Virginia Commonwealth University Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP)
West
Los Angeles, CA--UCLA Public Heatlh Scholars Training Program
Denver, CO--Gates Summer Internship Program (GSIP)
Other
Multiple Locations (Boston, NYC, California)--Health Career Connection Internships
Multiple Locations--The Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program
Multiple Locations--The National Alliance of Research Associates Programs
Multiple Locations--Undergraduate Student Research Program, American Heart Association
Paris, France--Institut Pasteur Undergraduate Internships
Multiple locations--Summer Internship Program (SIP) at The National Institutes of Health (NIH)