Office of Medical Student Research

Whether your goal is clinical practice or scientific study, research can be an important part of your medical training.

The Office of Medical Student Research and Scholarship is ready and eager to connect you with a program that meets your interests.

Summer Research Program applications due: March 15, 2020
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Endless opportunities

The research enterprise at Washington University is among the most extensive in the world. Renowned and gifted faculty investigators help students learn how discovery takes place and influences the way we practice medicine at the edge of what is known.

Areas of investigation include cardiovascular diseases, developmental biology, diabetes, genetics and genome science, imaging, immunology, infectious diseases, neuroscience, and more.

Wondering if research is right for you?

Participating in research is optional for medical students at Washington University, yet over 95% of students – most of whom are focused on preparing for specialties in clinical practice – complete a research project while working on their MD.

Whether your goal is clinical practice or scientific study, research can be an important part of your medical training. You might be interested in a research program if you want to:

• Get published. Hundreds of program alumni have gone on to publish their research in peer-reviewed journals.
• Get experience. The research experience offers you well-rounded medical training that can help with finding a residency and making you a more knowledgeable physician.
• Get paid. Students completing a summer program, as well as some year-long programs, receive a stipend through our office.
• Explore specialties. Research programs allow you to try out different medical specialties and network with faculty in departments that interest you.

From bench work in the lab to clinical work with patients, you can choose from a broad range of research projects in any medical specialty.

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Funding

The Office of Medical Student Research and Scholarship obtains funding for nearly all medical students who participate in research.

All medical students who participate in the Summer Research Program (SRP) receive stipends. Our office works hard throughout the year to secure funding from multiple sources, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), private foundations, the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS), the dean, and department heads throughout the School of Medicine.

Participants in the SRP can expect stipends at the current NIH funding level for predoctoral researchers. For the 2019 SRP, this was equal to $2,068 per month, resulting in a $5,170 stipend for 2.5 months of research.