Monday, November 28, 2016

SIBS Undergraduate Research Program and PARAdiGM

Introducing Summer in Biomedical Sciences (SIBS) Undergraduate Research Program 2017, and the Preparation for Graduate and Medical Education (PARAdiGM) 2017!
Both of these programs introduce outstanding undergraduates to the exciting career options of being a scientific investigator while also being a practicing physician.These two eight week programs are held concurrently from June 1-July 28, 2017. Students will receive stipends and free on-campus housing but will be responsible for their own meals, for travel to and from Birmingham, and other expenses.

Students in both programs will be introduced to the concept of scientific research, principles of scientific experimentation, the proper methods of data analysis, the interpretation, presentation, and translational applications of research results, and to clinicians who practice at academic medical centers. 
Summer in Biomedical Sciences (SIBS) Undergraduate Research Program
Our goal in offering this fellowship is to give talented undergraduate students the opportunity to experience the challenges and rewards of intensive, hypothesis-drive laboratory research. This experience should help students make well informed decisions about future career plans.  Previous research experience is not required. We especially welcome applications from students who are interested in research as a potential career, including students interested in PhD and MD/PhD programs. We accept fifteen students per summer into this program. We expect applicants to SIBS to have completed at least their sophomore year of undergraduate coursework. We anticipate that successful candidates will typically demonstrate grade point averages of 3.0 (“B”) or higher, especially in science, math, and related areas. 

Preparation for Graduate and Medical Education (PARAdiGM)
The PARAdiGM program focuses on undergraduates from diverse and underrepresented minority backgrounds, and offers the opportunity to participate in the program for two summers. In addition to working in the laboratory of a faculty mentor with an actively funded biomedical research program, PARAdiGM participants will learn about careers in academic medical centers (AMCs) by shadowing clinician-investigators in their clinics, as well as on in-patient rounds. At the end of the first summer in the program, the students will write an abstract and participate in both a local and national poster presentation of their research results. The students will also receive instruction in essay writing, MCAT preparation, and critical career skills. The ultimate goal of the program is to provide undergraduate students with an understanding and appreciation of the biomedical research process so as to encourage them to pursue careers studying patients and their diseases after further postgraduate training in graduate and medical education. Previous research experience is not required in order to apply.  The PARAdiGM program is especially useful for students who do not have local access to biomedical research and/or academic physician-scientist role models. 

Applications must be submitted online and the deadline is February 15, 2017
Students can learn more about SIBS at www.uab.edu/sibs, about PARAdiGM at http://www.uab.edu/medicine/paradigm/ or by contacting Robin Lorenz at rlorenz@mcuab.edu