UAB is a world-renowned biomedical center with a number of nationally recognized research programs. Consistently among the top 25 NIH funded institutions, UAB offers many opportunities for medical students interested in research.
The Physician Scientist Development Office (PSDO) was established to support and enhace training of future physician scientists as they develop their careers as future leaders of academic medicine.
A basic or translational research experience enhances students' critical thinking and problem solving abilities, skills essential for excellence in clinical practice. Form any medical students, research, service, and training opportunities provide an avenue to discover new knowledge in an area of medicine that hey are passionate about. For students considering careers in academic medicine, and short-term research, expereiences all them to see first hand what academic medicine entails.
Scholarly Activity
Medical students are required to engage in a scholarly project during their third year. Projects vary with the individual interests of the students and range from laboratory research to medical humanities.
Medical Student Research Opportunitities: Year 1
Medical students often choose to indertake research during the summer between the first and second years of medical school. Opportunities exist for students to participate in basic biomedical, translational, and global health research.
Medical Student Research Opportunitities: Year 2 and Beyond
Medical students who have completed their preclinical years may opt to take a year out to engage in elective research. Students may choose to stay at UAB or go to another institution for their research. There are a number of competitive fellowships available to support this form of research.
Medical Student Clinical, Service, and Training Opportunities
Medical students may seek out summer programs that provide experiences beyond clerkships and elective rotations. Short-term summer clincal or training programs are available both domestically and internationally to medical students looking to gain additional clinical experiences in a desired specialty.
UAB Heersink SOM Medical Student Research Organizations
The American Physicial Scientists Association (APSA) was developed for and is administrated by aspiring physician-scientists from around the country. The mission of the National APSA and the UAB Chapter is to support the training of successful physician-scientists by providing opportunities from professional development, career planning, and networking within the scientific and medical communities. The overarching goal of the UAB APSA Chapter is to ensure that the unique training needs of aspiring physician-scientists are met and that they have a strong voice within the UAB biomedical community.
The UAB Multidisciplinary Research Stewardship encourages medical student research efforts across all fields of medicine at UAB. This group is run by experienced upper level students who can help get you involved in the research process. Information on each step of the research process is available within and our student leaders are accessible to any needs or questions.
The Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium (SEMSS) is an annual NIH/NIGMS funded meeting of MD/PHD students, MS students, and undergraduates from the southeastern United States. The goal of the symposium is to bring together faculty and students to foster discussion about physician scientist career paths and research.
Physician Scientist Research Elective Proposal
The Physician Scientist Reseach Elective Proposal is in place for those who are in need of a research elective that fits within their interset in academic medicine. To register for this course, approval must be received from the Associate Dean for the Physician Scientist Development and the coursemaster.
Learning Objectives:
- The student should learn the knowledge to identify a suitable biomedical research questions, formulate a hypothesis, design a suitable expereimental procedure, obtain data, and properly analyze it.
