How to Find a Project

  1. Start by searching the Directory of Faculty Projects. This is a curated list gathered every Fall of UWSOM faculty and affiliated faculty with summer projects for medical students. Note: If you are interested in doing research at a Foundations site that differs from your home site, you are eligible for a III relocation fund. The relocation fund application will open in April. More information will be available and sent via email from somiii@uw.edu in the Spring. Please reach out to somiii@uw.edu if you have any questions.
  2. We also maintain a list of funded summer opportunities here. These include UW opportunities that are both short (2 month) and long term (9-12 month) projects. Projects outside the UW system are included as well. Please keep in mind for the latter that you will need a UWSOM Faculty Co-Mentor.
  3. Look through Faculty webpages to get ideas and find potential mentors with similar interests.
  4. Connect with your Foundation Site’s Research Advisor for help finding mentors and local resources in your area of interest.
  5. If you are interested in research in a particular field, consider contacting the ITHS Research Navigator (resnav@uw.edu). For example, “I am a first-year medical student at the University of Wyoming interested in biomedical informatics. Could we meet to discuss where I might find opportunities for a research project this summer?” The Navigator can set up meetings in person, by phone, or by Zoom.
  6. Have a creative idea? Run it by the Director of Medical Student Scholarship well before the Project Proposal due date to see if it would meet the III Scholarship Requirement.

Choosing a Project

When you meet with a faculty member about potential projects, it is important to use this time to explore if they would be the right Faculty Mentor for you and to determine if the project is achievable. Because your work will occur over a minimum 8-week summer term, committing approximately 30-35 hours per week, it is necessary to determine:

  1. Will the faculty member be available throughout this period to regularly meet with you (weekly at a minimum) and guide you through the execution of your project?
  2. Is this project achievable over the Summer term? Will data be available and ready to analyze before the end of the summer?

You will want to work with someone responsive and available, and who is clearly committed to helping you learn about the scientific process. Avoid mentors who wouldn’t have the time to help you learn, or who lack a definite idea of exactly what you would do.

Scholarship of Discovery