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Further Research Opportunities

Opportunities as a Student: Summer/Short-Term Research |  Year-Long Research  |  Lab Animal Medicine
Post-Graduate Opportunities: Research |  Lab Animal Medicine

As a Veterinary Student

Opportunities for Research

  • Summer & Other Short-Term Research Opportunities
     
    • Merial Veterinary Scholars Program at other CVMs
      Through a supportive, mentored research experience in an established laboratory and through seminars and discussion groups on careers in science, it is hoped that veterinary students will gain an insight on career opportunities in biomedical research. Veterinary students in their first or second year of veterinary school are encouraged to apply.  Programs are typically 10 to 12 weeks during the summer and held at veterinary schools throughout the U.S. and Canada.  To find out more information and how to apply, follow the link for the particular institution.
      [ MVSP, with links to specific college programs ]
    • Merck-Merial Veterinary Summer Internships
      We are offering summer internships in 2009 at our research laboratories in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The successful candidate will observe and be involved in cutting edge scientific technologies critical to Merck’s mission of disease prevention and treatment. Biomedical sciences at Merck have the vital role of bridging the gap between our understanding of disease processes and the development of new and effective therapeutics for unmet medical needs. The Merck-Merial Veterinary Summer Internship Program provides an industrial research experience to highly qualified individuals who have interest in laboratory animal medicine, comparative medicine, pathology, or related areas in biomedical research. The successful applicant will spend 10-12 weeks as an intern at one of the Merck or Merial research facilities.
      [ information ]
    • National Cancer Institute’s Center for Cancer Research
      The National Cancer Institute’s Center for Cancer Research (NCI CCR), in collaboration with the Intramural Research Divisions of The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is interested in providing a select number of pre-doctoral veterinary medical students the opportunity to participate in the NIH Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research conducted by the NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education. Veterinary medical student participation in summer research internships at the National Institutes of Health is coordinated through the NCI CCR Comparative Molecular Pathology Unit. This unique opportunity is offered for veterinary medical students to gain exposure to research while working at the government’s key institution combining both clinical and basic research.
      [ information ]
    • NIH: Ferguson Fellowship Program
      The Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Disease Fellowship Program provides educational and experiential opportunities for racial and ethnic minority medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary, and public health graduate students in a broad array of public health activities. Ferguson Fellows are engaged for eight weeks in a rigorous program of public health research and/or intervention, which they summarize in a scientific presentation at the end of the session. Ferguson Fellows' travel and housing expenses are paid, and they receive a stipend for the summer.
      [ information ]
    • USDA Agricultural Research Service
      The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) recruits at various educational institutions to find students with skills to meet its current and future employment needs. Opportunities are available throughout ARS nationwide. Since many of our facilities are co-located with major universities, student employment provides opportunities for students to gain valuable experience related to their field of study or in other areas.
      [ information ]
    • Morris Animal Foundation
      The Veterinary Student Scholars (VSS) Program gives veterinary students hands-on involvement in research early in their career so they will consider entering this field where they are so critically needed.
      Health research is critically important for giving veterinarians the tools they need to better prevent, diagnose and treat illness in their animal patients. Yet currently, there is a lack of veterinary scientists being training to meet future needs of animal health.
      Since the creation of the VSS Program in 2005, Morris Animal Foundation has given more than 150 grants to veterinary student researchers from more than 40 different colleges and universities in 8 countries.
      [ information ]
    • Nestlé Purina PetCare Company
      The objective of this program is to provide veterinary students with an opportunity to be involved in research and participate in the advancement of knowledge in canine and feline nutrition and health care. Toward this end, a fund has been established that will provide small grants (typically $6,000 to $10,000) to faculty mentors to support a small, well-designed research project to be conducted by a veterinary student. The research is expected to be of suitable caliber to enable publication in a veterinary or other scientific journal. Funded students will be expected to spend time working on other ongoing projects in the faculty member’s laboratory, in addition to their primary research project, so that they may have a broader research experience.
      [ information & application ]
  • Year-Long Research Opportunities
     
    • NIH T32 programs:
      1-Year of Research, with stipends approximately $20-21,000
      School Contact Program
      Pennsylvania Abel, Edwin Ted G Training Program In Behavioral/Cognitive Neuroscience
      Kansas State University Freeman, Lisa C Brite Veterinary Student Program
      Cornell University Gilmour, Robert F Veterinary Student Training In Biomedical Research
      Cornell University Parrish, Colin R. Training In Molecular Virology And Pathogenesis
      Colorado State University Nett, Torrance M Training In Mammalian Reproductive Biology
      University Of Illinois Schantz, Susan L Research Training Program In Environmental Toxicology
      University Of California Davis Wilson, Dennis W Postdoctoral Training In Environmental Pathology
      Michigan State University Yuzbasiyan-Gurkan, Vilma Veterinary Research Student Training Grant
      last update: July 29, 2009
    • Howard Hughes Medical Institute:
      HHMI-NIH Research Scholars Program
      The HHMI-NIH Research Scholars Program (Cloister Program) enables medical, dental, and veterinary students from U.S. schools to spend 9 to 12 months conducting basic, translational, or applied biomedical research in one of the many laboratories on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. Novel aspects of this program include housing for all Scholars together on the NIH campus, and student selection of preceptor and research project after acceptance into the program. For the 2010-2011 program year, Scholars will receive annual compensation of $27,000, health insurance, moving expense reimbursement, and numerous other benefits. The application deadline is January 10, 2010. [ information ]
    • Howard Hughes Medical Institute:
      HHMI Research Training Fellowships for Medical Students
      The HHMI Research Training Fellowships for Medical Students Program (Medical Fellows Program) enables medical, dental, and veterinary students from U.S. schools to spend a year conducting basic, translational, or applied biomedical research at any school or nonprofit research institution in the United States, except at the NIH in Bethesda, MD. For the 2010-2011 program year, Fellows will receive a stipend of $27,000, a fellow’s allowance of $5,500 that may be used for health care and other expenses and a $5,500 research allowance. The application deadline is January 11, 2010. A joint initiative with the Burroughs Wellcome Fund will enable support for additional veterinary students in the program. [ information ]
    • Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars
      In 2003, the Fogarty International Center (FIC) issued the first solicitation for applications under the Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars Program for U.S. and developing country advanced degree students in the health sciences. This program, now in its 5th year, offers one year of mentored clinical research training at a site in the developing world. It expands upon international opportunities for new investigators seeking hands-on experience working in poor and transitional countries. Such experiences during a formative period will hopefully encourage these young researchers to pursue careers in global health-related clinical research.
         [ information ] [ application ]

Opportunities in Lab Animal Medicine

  • American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM): Career Pathways Committee
    The purpose of the Career Pathways Committee (CPC) is to develop and implement an outreach program to veterinary medical students and veterinarians outside the field of laboratory animal medicine. The goal is to increase the number of laboratory animal veterinarians in Biomedical Research.
    This page provides information & links for Travel Awards, Externships, & more.
    [ information ]
  • Southwest National Primate Research Center
    Veterinary Student Externship. The Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) provides educational AND training opportunities for a limited number of veterinary student externs throughout the year. The student must be currently enrolled in veterinary school. The SNPRC will match student externs with appropriate veterinarian mentors. The availability of a specific mentor is not guaranteed.
    [ information ]
  • New England Primate Research Center: Summer Program for Veterinary Students
    Participants spend the summer working in one of two research divisions at the Center (Comparative Pathology and Primate Medicine). During this time they participate in the ongoing research program of the laboratory and gain experience in diagnostic and experimental pathology. In addition, they have the opportunity to observe first-hand the duties and responsibilities of a clinical veterinarian in a large research facility employing nonhuman primates as laboratory animals. In as much as the student's exposure is based on pathologic aspects of disease processes, we generally prefer to select students who have had general pathology, usually second through fourth-year students. This is not an absolute requirement, however. The successful candidate will be placed on the casual payroll at the Center and receive $13.00 per hour, based on a 35-hour week, for a maximum of three months.
    [ information ]
  • Charles River Short Course on Laboratory Animal Science
    If you have never been to the Short Course, it is a great opportunity to meet new people in the same field and exchange ideas and information. The course lasts four days and is designed to educate and update the biomedical research community on current trends and technological advances in the field of laboratory animal science. The course is broken into three tracks that include over 60 topics presented by members of Charles River's professional staff as well as guest speakers. Attendees can go to the topics of their choice; there is no need to sign up for a particular track. All attendees receive a Certificate of Attendance for their course hours to send in for a Continuing Education Certificate.
    Charles River Short Course Scholarships: Currently, there is a shortage of veterinarians working in our field.  The scholarship program for the Short Course is one effort to increase the number of veterinarians entering the field of laboratory animal medicine.  We sponsor scholarships for veterinary students and veterinarians who are not currently involved in laboratory animal medicine but are considering a career change.
    [ information ]

Post-DVM Opportunities Research Training

  • NIH Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08)
    Overview of K-Awards
    The primary purpose of the NIH Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Awards (K08) program is to prepare qualified individuals for careers that have a significant impact on the health-related research needs of the Nation.  This program represents the continuation of a long-standing NIH program that provides support and “protected time” to individuals with a clinical doctoral degree for an intensive, supervised research career development experience in the fields of biomedical and behavioral research, including translational research.
    An award is for a period of 3 to 5 years and provides support for salary and research-related costs.  The amount funded as salary for a career development award varies among the NIH participating Institutes and Centers (ICs).
    [ information ]
  • NIH T32 programs
    Post-Graduate Research &/or Laboratory Animal Training.
    School Contact Program
    University Of California Davis Barthold, Stephen William Comparative Medical Science Training Program
    University Of Wisconsin Madison Bjorling, Dale E Research Training Of Veterinary Students In Wisconsin
    Stanford University Buckmaster, Paul S Comparative Medicine Biosciences Training Program
    North Carolina State University Dean, Gregg Comparative Medicine And Translational Research Training Program
    Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Fox, James G Biomedical Research Training For Veterinary Scientists
    University Of Missouri-Columbia Franklin, Craig L Postdoctoral Training In Comparative Medicine
    Ohio State University Lairmore, Michael D Mouse Pathobiology: Models Of Human Disease
    Harvard University Medical School Mansfield, Keith Research Training In Veterinary & Comparative Pathology
    Virginia Polytechnic Inst And St Univ Meng, Xiang-Jin Animal Model Research For Veterinarians (Amrv)
    Colorado State University Nett, Torrance M Training In Mammalian Reproductive Biology
    Washington State University Palmer, Guy Hughes Immunology Training Program
    University Of Illinois Schantz, Susan L Research Training Program In Environmental Toxicology
    University Of California Davis Wilson, Dennis W Posdoctoral Training In Environmental Pathology
    Johns Hopkins University Zink, M Christine Laboratory Animal Medicine And Pathology
    last update: July 29, 2009

Please contact Roger Smith (979-845-5167 or email) for additional information on any of these programs or to correct/update any information on this page.