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The Vanderbilt Anesthesiology Summer Research Program (VASRP) fosters a vibrant research environment where participants actively engage in mentored research within dynamic research teams. Research opportunities are available in all aspects of research being conducted in the Department.
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“As someone who has greatly benefited from mentorship and sponsorship throughout my own career, it is a pleasure to contribute to the Vanderbilt Anesthesiology Summer Research Program (VASRP). This program thoughtfully connects motivated students seeking mentorship with faculty who are eager to guide aspiring researchers. VASRP establishes clear expectations for both mentees and mentors, helping ensure that the experience is productive and results in meaningful outcomes. Over the past several years, I’ve been consistently impressed by the caliber of students in the program, their engagement, dedication to their projects, and commitment to the mentor-mentee relationship beyond the summer. It is deeply fulfilling to support the development of future investigators, and VASRP provides an excellent structure to make that possible."
– Bantayehu Sileshi, MD, Associate Professor, Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology; Assistant Vice Chair, Anesthesiology Faculty Affairs Office
"The VASRP offers medical students a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the research, education, and clinical care environment of a leading academic anesthesiology department. Participants benefit from exceptional mentorship, form potential long-term research collaborations, and accelerate their development toward becoming future physician-scientist leaders.”
– Joseph Schlesinger, II, MD, FCCM, Professor of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Multispecialty Anesthesiology, Neuroanesthesiology
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Within the Vanderbilt Anesthesiology Summer Research Program (VASRP), mentorship is more than guidance—it's a dynamic, longitudinal partnership that evolves with each trainee’s growth. Our approach is designed to foster professional identity formation while aligning with your level of training, skill development needs, and preferred mentoring formats.
We offer a diverse mentorship ecosystem that includes:
- Faculty mentors for expert guidance and career planning
- Near-peer and peer mentors for relatable support and shared experiences
- Group mentorship to build community and broaden perspectives
Through this layered support, we aim to:
- Strengthen research skills, professionalism, and academic productivity.
- Promote career development and specialty exploration.
- Encourage informal mentorship that nurtures organic relationships, emotional support, and peer learning.
Whether you're just beginning your research journey or refining your academic focus, our mentorship model is built to support your success—every step of the way.
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Scholars will have the opportunity to gain exposure at least one day per week of clinical anesthesiology by observing in operating rooms across VUMC. As one of the largest clinical programs in the nation, the Vanderbilt Department of Anesthesiology provides clinical care for the full spectrum of procedural, critical care, pain management, and perioperative medicine needs.
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Our didactic sessions and activities provide opportunities for networking, professional development, and guidance to applying to a residency program. The program ends with a poster session to showcase the research accomplishments of the scholars. The curriculum is intended to facilitate learning in the following areas:
- Skillsets required to become a successful physician-scientist.
- Resources available at Vanderbilt Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
- Personal and professional development. The format of the sessions is designed to create a psychological safe environment encouraging active engagement in an effort for scholars to know and reach their full potential. Most of the sessions are designed to also provide opportunities to network and engage with research faculty and leadership in the Department and VU/VUMC.
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We collaborate with Vanderbilt’s Center for Experiential Learning and Assessment where they host a simulation lab highlighting techniques and methods commonly used in the practice of anesthesiology clinical care. This opportunity is always a highlight of VASRP participants.
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Building a sense of community is important to us. Importantly, our mission is to create an environment where scholars from any-and-all backgrounds feel respected, supported, and valued. We believe that creating a psychological safe environment allows for connections to flourish. It also nourishes understanding, creativity, and discovery, thus optimizing personal and professional growth.
Most of our didactic sessions are round table discussions that provide an opportunity for scholars to get to know and network with our research and clinical faculty.
We try to create a social calendar for our scholars including happy hours and activities around Nashville. Participants will vary from scholars only, scholars and leadership, to a mix of scholars from multiple VUMC summer research programs.
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Scholars will receive a stipend for their full participation over the 8-week program. The stipend is provided to participants in two equal parts: one during the first week of the program, and the other during the last week of the program. Participants are responsible for all living expenses, including housing. Participants are not provided with reimbursement for travel, nor do they receive a meal plan.
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Housing is limited. On-campus housing is available. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide housing support for our participants.
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The program does not provide transportation for participants. During your stay in Nashville, you can take advantage of the city’s public transit system, WeGo Public Transit. A perk is that anyone with a Vanderbilt ID rides for free. However, you may want to consider bringing your car for the summer. Most of our participants do bring their own vehicles. Nashville has multiple neighborhoods that are spread across the city. Additionally, there are numerous places to take day trips or weekend trips across the state. See Nashville Life's website for specific suggestions.
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Parking is available for a fee. Details for parking will be provided once acceptance of our offer to participate in the program has been received.
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During your 8-week stay in Nashville, you may purchase monthly access to the Vanderbilt University Recreation Center. The facilities include a fully equipped weight room complete with cardio machines, racquet ball courts, group fitness classes (including yoga), swimming pool, indoor basketball courts, outdoor tennis courts, outdoor and indoor track, a climbing wall, and a bowling alley for a additional fee. Also, the popular Centennial Sportsplex is located within walking distance to campus, which has indoor pickle ball courts.