Research in Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Immunology for Medical Students

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is growing concern about a decline in the number of physician scientists being trained in this country. Surveys reveal that an important influence for medical students who choose careers as physician investigators is the opportunity for a mentored research experience during medical school. The broad goal of this training program is to attract talented and interested trainees into careers in academic medicine. The goal will be accomplished by providing medical students with the opportunity to have a research experience early in their training by supporting summer research fellowships at the University at Buffalo School Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Over the past two decades, the areas of infectious diseases, microbiology and immunology have generated intense research activity. New techniques and discoveries have revolutionized research in these disciplines. The University at Buffalo has a rich and exciting environment to perform research in these areas. Roswell Park Cancer Institute is a world renowned comprehensive cancer center with internationally recognized investigators in tumor immunology. The program is designed with Co-PIs to take advantage of the strengths of the two affiliated institutions to give students a broad range of choices in mentors and projects. The training grant will support stipends for 6 first year medical students to spend 10 weeks in the summer following first year performing a mentored research project. Twenty two faculty members with active research programs and extensive mentoring experience will serve as a pool of mentors for students. The program includes a weekly seminar series, a weekly laboratory practical session and training in the responsible conduct of research. Students will present their work orally at the end of the summer program and in poster format at an annual research day. An innovative approach to recruit underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged students includes assigning one fellowship each year to a first year student who graduated from the Post-baccalaureate program of the Associated Medical Schools of New York. Several short term outcomes will be tracked; the long term outcome to be tracked will be career choice of the student trainees.