Applying for Research Programs/Funding

If you are a Penn medical student, who is considering applying for a research program or funding opportunity, here are some resources to help you through the process:

FUNDING FOR RESEARCH

1. The PSOM Combined Degree and Physician Scholars Office maintains several lists of some fellowships available to support medical student research:

Short Term Research Opportunities:
Penn medical students typically choose to do research between the first and second year of Medical School, though this does not count as credit toward graduation. In addition, medical students, who are not enrolled in a Combined Degree program or Year Out research experience, will engage in some form of research for a minimum of three months to fulfill their Scholarly Pursuit requirement.
Year Out Research Opportunities:
Medical students who have completed their third year of Medical School may opt to take a Year Out to conduct elective research.
URM Student Research Opportunities:
There are many fellowships available to support Underrepresented Minority (URM) students, who would like to conduct research.
Global Health Research Opportunities:
For medical students who are interested in global health research opportunities, also check out "Funding" on the Center for Global Health website.

2. The Penn Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF) is not only for undergraduates! CURF is Penn’s institutional hub for many prestigious fellowships (including the Fulbright Award, the Boren Fellowship, and the Gates Cambridge Scholarship) for which graduate students at the MA, professional degree, or PhD level may be eligible.

For more information about the resources CURF offers graduate students, visit Graduate Students.
For a full list of fellowships for which CURF supports graduate student applications, visit the searchable Fellowships Directory.

3. Ask potential mentors if they are aware of relevant fellowships. Remember that if you apply for a fellowship, you may not receive the award. It's a good idea to have a backup plan.

4. Ask potential mentors if they would have funding for you. Some mentors are able to provide stipend support from their research grants. In other cases, the mentor's department might have funding to support you.

5. Check for other funding opportunities on the internet:

There may be new funding opportunities offered by relevant organizations. For instance, if you are interested in Pediatrics, consider doing an online search for the Pediatric-oriented organizations to check if they have a new award. If you find a new opportunity, please email the Associate Director of the CD Office, so they can add it to this website.
PSOM Research Opportunity Database
Science Careers - Grants & Funding
SPIN (you must have a valid PennKey to access)
AAMC Careers in Medicine
NIH Funding

APPROVAL FOR CREDIT

Participation in research for academic credit (e.g. Scholarly Pursuit requirement) must be processed through the Office of the Registrar and receive faculty approval. It is important to note that a medical student who chooses to do research above and beyond the Scholarly Pursuit requirement is considered to be doing elective research.

RESOURCES FOR YOUR APPLICATION

Curriculum Vitae

During the process, you should be prepared to provide a CV to the individuals writing letters for you. A well written CV will be helpful to your referees, and useful for you at multiple times in your training and career. If specific formatting instructions are provided, follow them carefully. Here are some resources to help you develop your CV:

Transcript

If you need a copy of your medical school transcript for your application, contact Yvonne Young in the Registrar's Office, who will be able to assist you.

Dean's Letter

Some year out research opportunities require a Dean's letter. Your Advisory Dean (see under Student Affairs) will write the letter for you. You may want to consider scheduling a meeting with your Advisory Dean to discuss your interests, so your Advisory Dean can write a personalized letter to strengthen your application.

NOTIFICATIONS

Registrar

If you apply for external funding and are awarded a research grant, you will need to notify the Registrar's office of your plans by completing and submitting the Arranged Activity form. This documentation is needed in order for your research experience to be a part of your academic record and on your transcript.

Penn Research Services

If you apply for external funding, your application will need to go through Penn Research Services for approval before submission. Your mentor's business administrator will assist you with entering your application into the PennERA system. Note that if you apply for a fellowship that requires an "Official Signature for the Institution," Penn Research Services will provide the signature through the PennERA submission process. Plan ahead though: this is a one week process.

Combined Degree Office

Please provide the Associate Director, Combined Degree and Physician Scholar Program, with a copy of your completed application. If you have questions or have difficulty contacting a funding organization directly, please feel free to contact the Associate Director for help.