How to Find a Project

1. Start by searching the Directory of Faculty Projects. This list is gathered every Fall of UWSOM faculty and affiliated faculty with summer projects for medical students.
2. Have a specific interest? Look through Faculty webpages for potential mentors with similar interests. Think about the people you know: professors, guest lecturers, college mentors, and preceptors. Contact them directly by e-mail and explain who you are, your interest in their research, and the scholarship requirement. Ask if they are willing to mentor you through a literature review project that you could execute over the 9-week summer term. If so, request a meeting to discuss this in person. If not, ask if there is another faculty member they would recommend. If you work with a Faculty Mentor not listed in the Directory of Faculty Projects, please discuss this with your Research Advisor before writing a project proposal.
3. Connect with your Foundation Site’s Research Advisor for help finding mentors and local resources in your area of interest.
   • Alaska: Holly Martinson, PhD, hamartinson@alaska.edu
     
   • Idaho: Russell Baker, PhD, russellb@uidaho.edu
   • Montana: Martin Teintze, PhD, mteintze@montana.edu
   • Seattle: Cynthia Sprenger, PhD, cts2501@uw.edu
   • Spokane: Allison Lambert, MD, aalamb@uw.edu
   • Wyoming: Emily Schmitt, PhD, eschmit4@uwyo.edu
4. Have a creative idea? Run it by the Director of Medical Student Scholarship well before the Project Proposal due date.

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 the limited 9-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.