TJU Student Research Resources

Research Programs Open to Jefferson Medical College Students

Summer Research at Jefferson | Travel Support | College within a College

Students can learn about the different research endeavors that take place in each of the academic and clinical departments at Jefferson Medical College by contacting the departments’ research directors or departmental administrators. Advice is available to identify & contact Jefferson researchers.

With the exception of the Neurosurgical Scholarship Opportunity and the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research’s (FAER) Medical Student Anesthesia Research Fellowship (MSARF) Program, JMC students interested in pursuing research and faculty members who have a research opportunity for medical students may contact Andrea Cherenack, JMC Office of the Dean (215-503-6166 or Andrea.Cherenack@jefferson.edu).

The College within a College (CwiC) is an optional mentored experience available for students that will extend over the four year duration of medical school. Students do not need to be enrolled in CwiC to participate in the Summer Research Program, however students, enrolled in CwiC are encouraged, but not required, to participate in the Summer Research program.

All students are encouraged to participate in the Sigma Xi and AOA Research Days.

Summer Research Programs at Jefferson Medical College

The following formal research opportunities are open to all Jefferson medical students who successfully complete the first year of medical school. Each program offers a paid 6- to 9-week research experience with clinical or basic science faculty actively engaged in research at Jefferson Medical College.

To apply to these programs, please complete the

• Summer Research Program for Medical Students Application Form;
• College within a College (CwiC) Application Form
• Transcript Release Form; and

College within a College (CwiC)

CwiC is designed to supplement the medical school curriculum for those students who seek a mentored, scientific concentration in Clinical and Translational Research. This program will not replace existing curricular elements. Elemental components for enrolled students include assignment of a program advisor, a research mentor, and a comprehensive curriculum of core research topics. At the end of the four-year longitudinal program, participants will be prepared as physician-scientists and will receive additional distinction as part of their transcript. Interested students can learn more and apply online at the CWIC website.

Dean’s Biomedical Research Program

Nine-week research projects in diverse areas such as ophthalmology, dermatology, orthopaedics, embryology, and radiation oncology are available to 15 or more medical students. Transcript Release Required.

For more information, contact Andrea Cherenack, Office of the Dean (Andrea.Cherenack@jefferson.edu or 215-503-6166).

Dean’s Computer-Assisted Education Development

The Summer Computer Fellowship Program provides an opportunity for first-year JMC students to work closely with faculty in order to develop, or evaluate the use of, instructional technology for the medical college curriculum. The 9-week fellowship program has produced a wide range of computer-based learning programs and quiz preparation software. Students and faculty work with the Education Services division of Academic & Instructional Support & Resources (AISR), which provides instructional design help as well as support for learning the programming language appropriate for the project and for developing any graphics, animation, video or sound that will become part of the program. Transcript Release Required.

For more information, contact Anthony Frisby, PhD, Director, AISR Educational Services, at Tony.Frisby@jefferson.edu, or 215-503-4990.

Dean’s Systems Biology Summer Research Program

The Systems Biology Summer Research Program provides an opportunity for first year JMC students to work closely with faculty using a systems biology approach in their research. The 9-week fellowship program introduces clinical researchers to the genomic scale data collection, data analysis, and computational biology typical of systems biology. Research projects can originate in any clinically relevant area but must clearly apply a systems approach. Original projects creating new collaborations between systems biologists and translational researchers are strongly encouraged. All projects are pre-approved by Program coordinators and sponsoring research science advisors. For more information, contact Gregory Gonye, PhD, Associate Director, Daniel Baugh Institute for Functional Genomics and Computational Biology, at GGonye@mail.dbi.tju.edu, or 215 955-0580.

Department of Medicine Summer Research Program

The 9-week program in basic and translational research provides an opportunity for medical students to become involved in fast-developing fields of gene therapy, heart disease, HIV research and immunology. Laboratories of the Department of Medicine provide stimulating environment that enables the participants to learn advanced scientific techniques and pursue cutting-edge research. Positions are available for 5 or more medical students. Work-study eligible students are preferred. Transcript Release Required.
For more information, contact René Daniel, MD, PhD at Rene.Daniel@jefferson.edu.

Emergency Medicine Summer Research Program

In this 8-week program, the student serves as a research assistant for the Department of Emergency Medicine. The student will assist in patient enrollment and data collection into ongoing clinical emergency medicine research. The participant will also have the opportunity to follow and observe Emergency Medicine physicians as they provide patient care. Transcript Release Required. Students with work-study status will be given priority in the selection process
For more information, contact Nicole Sessions, LPN, (Nicole.Sessions@jefferson.edu, 215-955-6844).

Family Medicine Summer Research Program

This 9-week program is for TJU medical students who have successfully completed their freshman year. Transcript Release Required.
For more information, contact Lisa Michaluk (Lisa.Michaluk@jefferson.edu, or 215-955-2362).

Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research’s (FAER) Medical Student Anesthesia Research Fellowship (MSARF) Program

Provides support to both medical students and host departments for 8 to 12 weeks of anesthesia-related research experience and is an element of FAER's commitment to attract scientific talent to academic anesthesiology. FAER hopes that an exposure to the specialty early in the career of medical students will encourage future pursuit of research in anesthesiology and perioperative medicine. Transcript Release Required.
Deadline for application: February 1, 2011.
Program overview and application information
2009 Host departments and project listing (PDF)

Neurology Summer Research Program

This program is available to JMC first-year medical students and provides an excellent opportunity for students to participate in basic science and/or clinical research in laboratories of Department of Neurology faculty. The fellowships run nine weeks during the summer break between the first and second year of medical school. Transcript Release Required.
For more information, contact Michael Oshinsky, PhD (Michael.Oshinsky@jefferson.edu, 215-955-0433).

Neurosurgical Scholarship Opportunity

Funding Source: TJU Department of Neurological Surgery
The Thomas Jefferson University Department of Neurological Surgery offers two eight-week scholarships, the William Keene Scholarship and the Jewell Osterholm Scholarship, to encourage medical students interested in pursuing careers in a neurosurgical or spinal-surgical specialty. Students will work with JMC faculty mentors on clinical research projects. The research programs can be tailored to the students' individual interests. Students will also experience clinic and in-patient hospital care settings. Students are expected to either present or publish their research in the neurosurgery community. Support for this is also available. Transcript Release Required.
For more information, contact James S Harrop, MD, Ashwini D. Sharan, MD, or John K. Ratliff, MD, at 215-955-7959.

Obstetric and Gynecology Summer Research Program

This 9-week program gives medical students the opportunity to work with a research-oriented faculty mentor in obstetrics, gynecology, gynecologic oncology or maternal fetal medicine. Students will either take an active role in the mentor’s research or may identify a new research project that he/she may want to investigate with direction and leadership provided by the mentor and research personnel in the department. The participant will be given opportunities during the nine weeks to shadow, observe and become involved in the clinical offices, operating room, labor and delivery, grand rounds, journal club and clinical meetings. Transcript Release Required.
For more information, contact Dr. Jason K. Baxter, MD, MSCP @ Jason.Baxter@jefferson.edu, 215-955-9238.

Travel Funds

Student Organization Conference Fund

The JMC Student Council supports a limited amount of transportation and/or registration expenses for an otherwise not attendable conference. Up to one request per year may be made by any official JMC student organization.

Medical Student Research Travel Fellowships

A limited amount of funding is available through the Office of the Dean to support medical students who present their research at national or international scientific meetings.

One-half of travel expenses or $400 (whichever is less) is available to up to ten students who meet the following criteria:

1. the student must be first author on the abstract and must present the research findings (either poster or oral presentation) at the meeting;
   
   
2. the faculty or departmental sponsor must sign the application and indicate the source of matching funds; and
   
   
3. the research should have been completed while a student at Jefferson Medical College and represent research done at Jefferson Medical College (exceptions must be pre-approved).

Any medical student who has done research while at Jefferson is eligible. However, preference will be given to students who have participated in one of the summer research programs administered through the Office of the Dean. For more information or an application contact Andrea Cherenack at 215-503-6166 or Andrea.Cherenack@jefferson.edu .