MD with Special Training in Research Designation

The MD with Special Training in Research Designation program encourages awareness of the importance of basic and clinical biomedical research to the practice of medicine.

What Can You Gain From This Program?

  • Academic medicine is highly regarded but clinician-researchers are rare. The "MD (With Special Training In Research)" designation will formally recognize your introduction to basic and/or clinical research. This experience may "whet your appetite," encouraging you to pursue an academic career with a research component following completion of your medical degree.
  • Involvement in a good research environment will improve your lateral thinking and clarity of reasoning and thus improve your critical abilities.
  • Completion of the program and its listing on your curriculum vitae may strengthen your application for an internship or residency position.

Deadline

A completed application must be submitted by Feb. 1 prior to the student's final summer of eligible research to: The Office of Research, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, 2J2.11 WMC, 8440 -112 Street, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R7

Research Requirements

A minimum of 24 weeks research in a laboratory, or other appropriate setting, engaged in a basic science or clinical research project, under appropriate faculty supervision. This research experience will be gained during two consecutive summers. Students enroll in the program after completing the first summer of research. Up to 16 weeks of research (excluding vacations), conducted in the summer prior to entering Medical School will be considered towards the total of 24 weeks, if the supervisor of that research provides a letter of evaluation. Alternatively, the 24 weeks of research can be completed during the summers between years 1 and 2 and years 2 and 3 of Medical School.

This program is generally intended for first year Medical School students, as the MD Program during later years does not generally allow enough summer time to meet the required number of weeks over two consecutive summers. Second year students can still apply and complete this program if they have a minimum of 14 weeks summer research (16 strongly recommended) during the summer between years 1 and 2. The summer between years 2 and 3 leaves only a maximum of 10 weeks available to complete the research requirements, if the applicant takes no vacations.

Other Requirements

Students in the program are expected to participate in the Research Ethics/Integrity Seminar and in the Summer Student Seminar Series (held twice weekly at noon-hour during the summer break). They must also provide oral and written reports of the research undertaken for the program to the MD Research Committee.

Financial Support

A large (but not unlimited) number of summer studentships are available to provide personal support for the summers during the fulfillment of the research requirements. Visit the Undergraduate Summer Student Research Program page for further information.

Please Note: It is imperative that you discuss, in advance, with your supervisor whether he/she will provide financial support should your funding applications not be successful. You are admitted into the program based on your proposed project and supervisor and, other than minor changes in the project itself, you will not be able to switch either project or supervisor after you are formally admitted.

For further information, please contact Janis Davis at 780.492.9721 or , Chair of the MD with STIR program.

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