The Vanderbilt Undergraduate Clinical Research Internship Program (UCRIP) gives college students earning a four-year degree the opportunity to participate in both research and clinical patient care at an academic medical center. This program is designed for students who are interested in a career in medicine. Participants will complete a research project under the directorship of a research mentor and also directly observe clinical patient care while spending time with residents and attending physicians.
Program
- Program participants will be required to attend on-site orientation and training prior to beginning their research and clinical experiences.
- The 2022 session will run from June 6 - August 5.
- If health guidelines allow, students will round with a hospital-based general medicine physician team each week.
- Students will be assigned a research mentor and project by the Program Director. The director will try to place each participant with a mentor in an area of his/her interest as is available. The project may be either clinical or basic science research.
- This program is administered by Vanderbilt University Medical Center. However, UCRIP students will have the opportunity to interact socially and academically with students participating in Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy programs--administered by Vanderbilt University.
- Students will attend weekly seminars to discuss various topics, including medical school admissions, medical student life, medical education, and other issues related to healthcare.
- Program participants will be required to present their research during a poster presentation at the conclusion of the program.
If you have other questions, please contact the office at the email in the sidebar.
Benefits
The program provides each student housing on-campus for the summer, and participants will receive a stipend of $1,500. The program does not provide support for travel or meals. Disadvantaged students accepted into the program may be eligible for financial assistance.
Eligibility
- The Program is limited to U.S. citizens (or persons having U.S. Permanent Resident status) earning a four-year undergraduate degree at an accredited US college or university.
- Applying students must be a college undergraduate during the summer of the program year.
- Applying students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or greater on a 4.0 scale.
- UCRIP is unable to consider international applications. And as of 2016, the Vanderbilt International Scholar Program is no longer active. However, individual international undergraduates may be eligible for Short-term Research Training Experiences. For further information, visit: https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/summer-positions/.
- Preference is given to candidates with prior research experience and who have taken advance science courses.
- Applying students should have a strong desire to pursue an M.D. degree or a combined M.D./Ph.D. degree.
Application
UCRIP usually begins accepting Fall applications again by October 1. However, feel free to check in during the month of September as we occasionally have early access. Online application deadline is FEBRUARY 1.
At this point, the program does not have a rolling application process.
For the next summer 2022 application, the following items will be required to complete an application for the Undergraduate Clinical Research Internships Program:
- Two letters of recommendation
- Most recent unofficial undergraduate transcript
- A brief personal statement commenting on your qualifications for the program and how you feel this program will help you achieve your professional goals.
- Although noted on the application, a list of potential faculty mentors is not required for consideration.
To apply, please initiate the electronic application HERE. This application portal is shared with the Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy (VSSA) Basic Science Programs; but is considered independently. Please follow the track specific to UCRIP.
If you have other questions, please contact the office at the email in the sidebar.
