Undergrad Summer Research

[PwnerOfAll]

I am currently a Freshman Biochem major and am interested in doing some summer research at a university. I guess my question is does anyone know of any good programs?

I am interested in cancer biology(but am not limiting myself to just that area).

Also, one that pays a decent stipend would be nice.

Seeing as this is also my first post, I'd also like to say hi.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[jberg4]

Baylor's Summer Medical and Research Training (SMART) Program is really cool. Here's the web site:

http://public.bcm.tmc.edu/smart/

You'll need previous research experience in order to be accepted. I participated last summer so if you have any ?'s PM me.

 

[EMPOWERurSELF!]

where are you located Pwnerofall? I may be able to offer some suggestions...

 

[Jeffy]

Try this link:

http://www.wesleyan.edu/crc/jobs/careers/healthpro.htm

 

[PwnerOfAll]

I currently attend a NC school.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[TTSD]

Originally posted by PwnerOfAll
I currently attend a NC school.

Thanks for the replies.

NC? Ever try Duke medical? Yikes! They have research centers over there up the Yin and Yang!

 

[PwnerOfAll]

Hehe, Duke is great

BUT

It is not easy getting into one of their summer programs/research oppurtunities as a freshman from a different college.

Duke is notorious(for better or for worse) for looking after their own.

 

[Samus Aran]

I did an internship at UCLA this summer, and it was hands down one of the best experiences of my life. Highly recommended!!

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/asis/srp/srpintro.htm

 

[acab]

I did a research program at Columbia this summer and simply loved it. Cornell Med (in NYC) is great for cancer research. I highly recommend these 2 schools for summer research. Spending the summer in a different place would be a very enriching experience and looks good on your application. But I think the most important thing for a freshman is to do research during the academic year at their college. This will improve your chances of getting accepted into some of the competitive summer research programs. I had a year of research before applying to Columbia.
Good luck!

 

[Samus Aran]

P.S. On the webpage it says people intending to pursue a degree in medicine are not eligible, but this is BS. There were lots of people planning on going for an MD, I'm just guessing this was something most of these people didn't mention in their application essays just in case (I said I was planning on an MD/PhD, which was true at the time). After I got there, the program directors didn't seem to mind a bit about our MD goals, so don't let this deter you (or anyone else) from applying!

 

[PwnerOfAll]

What does a typical day consist of at cornel, ucla, etc during summer research?

 

[StritchMD2011]

Anyone know any research opportunities in the Chicagoland area?

 

[Samus Aran]

A typical day (at least for me) was going to my lab from 9:30am-6:00pm, then coming home to do whatever I wanted. My lab was pretty laid back, I could take breaks or run personal errands whenever I wanted, as long as I was still getting my work done. Work time varied tremendously from lab to lab...some people only went in 2-3 days out of the week for an hour or so each day, but some (like me) worked a full (40+ hrs) week. Once a week we would have to go to seminars where they'd talk about applying to/funding/preparing for graduate school or whatnot, standardized test prep, etc. Every few weeks or so we'd have a proposal, then an abstract and then, depending on your program, a research paper due. All I was required to do was the proposal, abstract and then give a poster presentation of my work that summer, really not that much work. Plus there was always time in the evenings and weekends to go do stuff not related to work, and plus I was in LA so there was TONS of stuff to do!! Everyone got paid the same, 2400 for 8 weeks or 3000 for 10 weeks, with free meals on campus, free housing and free round trip airfare. I'm not sure about other programs but UCLA was definitely an awesome deal and experience...

 

[TTSD]

Originally posted by PwnerOfAll
What does a typical day consist

When I was doing research.. this was a typical week for me:

Rats ordered
Postnatal Day Zero - Stereotactically freeze lesion rat pups
Perfect this or that surgical technique
Do counts of slides prepared from previous week
or
Do immunhistology which can take up to two days.

Prepare animals for proton run
Arrive back at hospital around midnight
Prep animals again
Finish proton run around 6 am
Return around one pm.
Kill animals
Remove brains
Prepare for histo.

Prepare primary cells
Radiate cells
Wonder how much radiation my hands have received
Takes three days to count the dishes.

Help out other projects.. oggle the Dentristry students.. hubba hubba hubba.

 

[Samus Aran]

Originally posted by BKadow
Anyone know any research opportunities in the Chicagoland area?

Just do a search for programs in that area. I actually applied to one at UChicago, so I know they def. have one!

 

[PwnerOfAll]

Thank you.
You both are quite helpful.

 

[Samus Aran]

If you want more detail, I worked in a neurobio lab where I had my own project that involved stereotaxic surgeries, perfusions, behavioral observations, immunocytochemistry, blah blah blah. I also got to see and help out with another project involving microdialysis, but not too much...I got to be pretty hands on with everything, but that was mainly because I had already had over a year and a half's worth of experience with some of these techniques, so maybe if you start getting research experience now you might have a more productive summer.

 

[Chankovsky]

can you guys post the websites for some of these summer programs. Simply talking about it doesn't help at all.

 

[EMPOWERurSELF!]

Even though its a bit far away, check out Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo : http://www.roswellpark.org/document_1230_557.html

I'm considering applying for a spot this summer. RPCI is an AWSOME place to be and your cost of living in Buffalo for the summer would be pretty low.

 

[Samus Aran]

Here's a pretty decent sized list, but I'd still suggest doing a search for a particular school you'd be interested in working at to see if they have a program of interest:

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/ug/intern.html

 

[Jason110]

The Mallinckrodt Institute research program at WashU is a good program during the summer for undergraduates if you're interested in radiology or radiation oncology. It stipends well ($4500/10 weeks), but is fairly competitive. There's no application fee, so it doesn't hurt to apply. See http://www.mir.wustl.edu (click "Education" >> "Training Programs" >> "Summer Research Program") for more information. I did the program and now I'm publishing papers resulting from the research.

Jason