newbie question: when to apply for summer research programs

[Handy388]

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Just wondering when should I start looking into those programs. I will be entering med school this fall (fall 2009)

 

[Phillyborn]

The earliest ones I applied to started accepting applications in November.
This is a pretty good list of what is available (there are likely going to be lots of other opportunities either within your institution, or through other outside organizations that you'll be tipped off to as well).
http://msaa.iusm.iu.edu/FinancialAid/Summer Opportunities/summer_job_opportunites_2005.htm

But in all honesty, don't even start to worry about this yet; just relax as much as possible till school starts.

 

[penguin24]

I applied for a summer research fellowship at my med school btwn M1/M2. It took some time to meet w/ the professor and create a draft proposal for my research project, which I did at the beginning of Spring semester of M1. If u want to do a project at another institution I would suggest doing it as early as possible. It's best to get published, but submitting a poster is better than nothing.

 

[Keona]

For this coming summer, or next summer?

 

[Doctorverardoll]

If you are talking about next summer, take a deep breath and enjoy this one. I'd say most planning occurs between Jan- March. I just sent in an application for a program whose deadline is the end of the week. Some more competitive ones had deadlines in February.

 

[DoctorPardi]

Some of them are super early but most are in the range of January to March. Some may require a LOR from a medical school professor/attending. So you probably can not reuse AMCAS LOR writers. Keep that in mind because finding someone to write a letter for you might be the hardest part so early in school.

Also because some programs have early applications it wouldn't hurt to talk to whoever is in charge of summer research at your school in October or November.

 

[peabos]

So I have a question along the same lines. I am sort of a bonafide city girl. I am an MS1 attending med school in a small town in the South. I really wanted to get away from the summer so I applied to do a preceptorship with a stipend at a well known university in a metropolitan area (friends living there) for the summer before 2nd year. I also thought it would be a good to get more clinical exposure - might help on step 1 (yes/no?), be sure about what field I want to get into, and meet physicians. Well the hospital I got assigned to is about 1.5 hrs away from the city. That wasn't going to stop me from doing it.

At first it didn't seem like the preceptorship was going to take me so I contacted another well known physician from my home city. I heard him speak at a conference about addiction and was inspired. My home city is on the west coast and ultimately where I want to do my residency and practice. My folks are in this city and they are getting older so I don't want to be far from them for too long. He told me there is a possibility for a research position but it wouldn't be paid. It still sounds like it is up in the air. This doctor has multiple research projects and publications that I doubt I will have the opportunity to learn directly from him and work closely with him. But this is at the university I ultimately want to do my residency. Should I press hard to get the unpaid research position at the university I want to do my residency or go with the paid preceptorship with lots of clinical exposure?

 

[ACSurgeon]

Just wondering when should I start looking into those programs. I will be entering med school this fall (fall 2009)

If you're trying to do something at a national level (NIH or a specialty X society grant), you'll have to look those up and see when the dead lines are (generally late fall or early spring, but if you have time now to search and write the deadlines down that wouldn't hurt).

If you're to do research at your school, then I'm sure the school will bombard you with emails/presentations etc.

 

[Handy388]

where can I find information on NIH research and the specialty grant you talk about? I am interested in radiology and general surgery research.

 

[ACSurgeon]

where can I find information on NIH research and the specialty grant you talk about? I am interested in radiology and general surgery research.

I don't know off the top of my head, but I can get you more info if you want (I did my research at my home institution but some of my classmates chose those national programs).

I'm sorry if I misunderstood your OP, but i thought you were wondering about research between MS1 and MS2. After reading your OP again, it seems like you are looking for something pre-MS1, which I'm not sure where you would look for those (the research opportunities I mentioned are meant for med students, I believe).