Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find the III Library page?

• The Health Sciences Library page for the III Scholarship Requirement is here: http://guides.lib.uw.edu/hsl/iii. As a reminder, Rachel Blume, your Health Sciences Librarian, is well versed in all III programs and available to assist you.

Can I apply to multiple III programs?

• No. The exception to this is for students applying to GHIP. Because there is limited space in GHIP, we recommend applying to RUOP as well. You must commit to one by February 28.

Can I continue my research during clerkships in my third year?

• No, research cannot be done while on a clerkship. If you would like to continue research during your third year, consider enrolling in a research elective. This is the most feasible way to dedicate time to a project.

Who can be a project mentor?

• Faculty project mentors may be any UWSOM faculty members with an Affiliate, Clinical, or Regular faculty appointment; this includes those at the Instructor level. Fellows and residents do not hold Faculty appointments, and are not eligible to be a research mentor or co-mentor.  If a student would like to work with a faculty mentor who does not hold a UWSOM appointment, then the student must also have a Faculty Co-mentor who does hold a UWSOM appointment in the event support is needed, and to be able to submit an evaluation of the student’s work.

Can my Faculty Mentor provide me with funding?

• Yes, Faculty Mentors who have funds available and want to contribute to a student research project are allowed to do so. However, Faculty Mentor funding is not required and is not commonly available. Any Faculty Mentor funding is completely independent of UWSOM, and students do not need to seek permission from Curriculum to accept it.
• Please note that accepting Faculty Mentor funding may reduce your Financial Aid package. We highly recommend that you consult with Diane Noecker (dnoecker@uw.edu), UWSOM Financial Aid Director, before accepting any Faculty Mentor or outside funding. Please note that the UWSOM-provided relocation funding, for students moving from one Foundations site to another for the summer in order to perform III project research, does not affect your Financial Aid package.
• Accepting Faculty Mentor funding will not affect eligibility for the UWSOM-provided relocation funding.

Are relocation funds available for students doing a Scholarship of Discovery project at a Foundations site that is different than their Foundations site? If so, how do I apply for this funding?

• A relocation fund is available to students who travel from one Foundations campus to another to pursue an approved Scholarship of Discovery project. This funding is meant to help defray the costs of out-of-region housing and travel incurred to do summer research at a different Foundations site. The purpose of this fund is to allow students to consider pursuing projects at Foundations sites in addition to their own. A request form for this fund will be available in April 2020.
• While we cannot determine the amount of the funding for this year until we have the total SoD/SoI program enrollment figures in spring, we can provide a little background. Last summer the funding amount was $2650 per student. However, this amount may increase/decrease from year to year depending on the total number of students who qualify for the funding. That being said, the number of students applying for the funding each year tends to be steady, so we are not anticipating a dramatic increase or reduction in the funding amount for this summer. Please be aware, though, that should the number of qualified students increase significantly, then there may be a reduction in the funding amount.

Do NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP), Injury Research Internship Program (INSIGHT), Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR), and other programs qualify as Scholarship of Discovery?

• Yes. However, in addition to applying to these programs, you must also submit a Scholarship of Discovery Project Proposal and present a poster at your Foundation Site’s fall Poster Session to meet the III program’s requirements in addition to the requirements of your outside research program. If you want to apply to a program outside UW, please tell the Director of Medical Student Scholarship, as soon as possible so we can work with you to create a timeline that will still fulfill your III Scholarship Requirement.

Can I do an international Scholarship of Discovery Project?

• Yes, with the following conditions:

1. You must have UWSOM Faculty member as Co-mentor on the project.
2. Once your Project Proposal is approved, you are required to register with the UW Foreign Study Office.
3. You must attend the required pre-departure safety orientation (typically the first Sunday in May). Please contact Dr. Jason Beste (bestej@uw.edu) for more information.
4. You must purchase the UW study abroad insurance. More information can be found here.

Where can I find guidance concerning IRB regulations and the process for obtaining IRB approval?

• If your project involves research with human subjects your Project Proposal must address how you will obtain any required Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals in advance of the project start date. You, with the assistance of your Faculty Mentor, are responsible for determining IRB requirements and securing any required approvals. You may not be able to begin work on your project until these approvals are obtained. More information can be found here.

Can I do a RUOP but still do another III program to fulfill my III requirement?

• No. RUOP is a summer experience that does not allow sufficient time to concurrently participate in Scholarship of Discovery, Scholarship of Integration, nor GHIP.

I have and/or qualify for an alternative way to complete the III. Can I still participate in RUOP and, if so, am I required to participate in the autumn poster session and complete all of the RUOP assignments?

• There is a non-III RUOP option available to students who qualify for the the alternative III. Students interested in participating in RUOP solely for the clinical experience can elect this option. With this option, you would not be responsible for completing the assignments or participating in the Fall Poster Session. You will still need to complete a RUOP application and indicate that you have met the III requirement in an alternative way. PLEASE NOTE: Even if you qualified to complete the III in an alternative way, you will be REQUIRED TO REGISTER for the III MEDSCI 501 course (6 credits) in Summer quarter of the first year of medical school, and for the III Final Project MEDSCI 503 course (1 credit) in Autumn quarter of the second year of medical school.

Does RUOP or GHIP participation count towards fulfillment of my Pathway requirements?

• This depends on which Pathway you are in. Please discuss this with your Pathway Director.

What do I register for in the summer and fall quarters? Does my summer tuition qualify me for financial aid?

• You will be REQUIRED TO REGISTER for the III MEDSCI 501 course (6 credits) in Summer quarter of the first year of medical school, and for the III Final Project MEDSCI 503 course (1 credit) in Autumn quarter of the second year of medical school. The MEDSCI 501 summer course qualifies students for financial aid.