Research electives for credit are available for all fourth-year medical students.
Length of Program: 6-12 weeks.
Funding: No remuneration is allowed for electives that are taken for academic credit. Payment or acceptance of a scholarship or stipend outside of a financial aid award for an elective for academic credit is prohibited.
Description: To qualify for the Doctor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, students are required to satisfactorily complete a minimum of 36 weeks of clinical or research electives in the fourth (final) year. Research electives must:
- be sponsored by a designated investigator who will outline the project, oversee the student’s progress and evaluate the student’s performance
- be accomplished while the student is enrolled at WUSM
- be a project in which the student has worked full-time for a total of at least six weeks. Research electives are on a full-time, daily basis. There is no thesis requirement.
Application: Students desiring research work should arrange this with the appropriate faculty member and must file a Research Elective form with the Curriculum Office at least one month before the research is to begin. For questions relating to scheduling of fourth-year plans, contact:
Electives Office
314-362-3439
wusmelectives@wustl.edu
Explore research at the School of Medicine
Visit department website to learn more about research that’s underway:
Explore research by department »
Explore research by topic, faculty members and collaborators:
Search faculty research profiles »
Get started
Meet with Dean Chung to review research opportunities and discuss the best match for your goals, schedule and interests.