Choosing a Mentor/Project

Choosing a Mentor

View list of faculty members who have indicated a willingness to mentor MSRP. Faculty members not on this list who conduct research related to the foci of NHLBI, NIDDK and NEI will be considered but will need to be approved by the Steering Committee for each grant. Approval will depend on the potential mentor's research focus, funding sources, and experience, as documented in their CV or biosketch. (Must be provided with proposal)

Funding

• Only one student will be funded to work with each faculty mentor.
• Funds are not available for any supplies needed to conduct your research project; these supplies must be provided by your faculty mentor.

IRB (Human Subjects) and/or IACUC (Animal Welfare) Approval

• If your project will involve humans or animals, an IRB and/or IACUC protocol number is required as part of your application.
• If a mentor suggests that writing the IRB or IACUC protocol should be part of your project, please realize that this is not realistic and is not an option.

Identifying a Project

Recommended steps for identifying a project and preparing a proposal:

• Review faculty members’ webpages (which list their research interests).
• Identify one or more faculty members whose research interests you.
• Email the faculty member(s) to arrange a meeting to discuss possible research projects. Questions to consider discussing:
  • What research projects are you currently conducting?
  • Is there a project in which I might be involved or a project I might develop?
  • What opportunities would I have to develop my own part of the project and/or make an individual contribution to the project?
  • What skills would I need to have or develop in order to carry out this project?
  • What is the anticipated timeline for this project? Is it likely to extend beyond the summer?
  • Who would I be working with most closely on this project?
  • What opportunities might be available for me to publish and/or present my research?
  • In what ways might this research project enhance my residency options and/or CV?
  • What would you, as a mentor, expect of me? (And, what do I, as a student, expect of a mentor?)

If, after meeting, you and the faculty member agree on a project, write a MSRP research proposal.