Again, I don't think you quite understood what they were telling you. For most of those schools, those aren't school-funded 'stipends' for student initiatives you're competing for. They're outside fellowships. Post a couple of those 11 schools if you'd like me to demonstrate why your info is incorrect. The situation is identical to UM's.
I never said anything about the school funding the stipends. Why would I care where it comes from. I'm sure most of the money comes from NIH or outside funding agencies.
From the brochure at my WashU interview:
Summer Research Opportunities involve participation in two to three
months of full-time research in the following programs: Summer Research,
Otolaryngology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and the Alvin J.
Siteman Cancer Center.
Eligibility: Applicants must be full-time medical students at Washington
University School of Medicine and in good academic standing without
encumbrances.
Funding: Fellowships provide a stipend. Participants must be employed
on the first working day of the month to be on the payroll for that month.
Number of Participants: 60-70 students per year.
Length of Program: Students will work full time on the research project
for two months during the period from late May until classes start in August.
Students interested in the program may request an application or obtain
additional information by contacting:
Koong-Nah Chung, PhD
Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs
or from the Pitt website:
The UPSOM Summer Research Program is the major source of student stipend support for summer scholarly activity. Co-funded by the Dean and the Childrens Hospital Research fund (for projects in Pediatrics), the SRP is directed by Dr. Allen Humphrey and coordinated through the Office of Student Affairs by Dr. Joan Harvey and Ms. Suzann Beardsley.
To participate in this program, students must first identify a preceptor and a research project and then develop a project proposal. The links below canhelp you find a preceptor who matches your interests, and instructs you on how to write and submit a project proposal. All applications received by the deadline of February 28, 2007 will be reviewed by a central committee of faculty. Funding offers based on the merit of the proposal will be made by the end of March. A stipend of $3000 is provided for the eight-week program.
I think you've jumped to way too many conclusions from one line in Biederman's email. The Office of Professional Development & Career Guidance definitely gives you support in finding what you're looking for. Yes, most students who do research do so in a volunteer capacity (at UM and at every one of those 11 schools); everywhere in the country, med students primarily do voluntary research so they can 'join in' on projects at their discretion with certain faculty and can buff their CV within the specialty of their choice.
Yes this line does bother me:
in rare cases the research is funded
Look at the WashU program. They fund 60-70 of their own students each year. Considering that summer research can only be done during first and maybe second years, that is only around 300 total people in the applicant pool. I'm not sure how many would be applying for this, but even if it was everyone I would hardly call 60/300 rare.
My concern is that the summer break at Miami is too short to apply to the outside programs because most I see require an 8 week minimum time committment. Please show me why my info is incorrect and there is a similar program at Miami.
