Research Scholars Program

Research Scholars Program

Research Scholar Application Submission DUE Feb 3rd, 5pm

The USU College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is soliciting applications for the 2023 Veterinary Research Scholars Program. This program provides fellowship stipends to support student involvement in USU-CVM, WSU-CVM, and USDA-PPRL research activities. The Research Scholars program of the College of Veterinary Medicine allows selected first and second-year students to pursue a research option with or without pursuit of a graduate degree. This option is designed specifically to provide veterinary students with the opportunity to explore the possibility of a research-oriented career in veterinary medicine. Participation in the Veterinary Research Scholars Program is typically a three-year commitment (assuming entry in year 1, or a two-year commitment after entry in year 2), culminating in the publication of scholarly work in a reputable research scientific journal. Scholars are also expected to prepare and submit a proposal to the Summer Research Fellowship Program (information provided separately) during each year of participation. Please review the details provided on the subsequent pages of this letter for more information. We certainly hope you will consider applying to this program and look forward to hearing from you.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be 1st or 2nd year veterinary students.
• Student applicants must not be on academic probation. Prior to applying, please check with the Office of Student Services to verify your status. Although an absolute class rank minimum is not established, please be aware the class rank may influence the competitiveness of your application.

Stipluations upon award

• Applications are due February 3, 2023, by 5:00 PM MST.
• Scholars are expected to prepare and submit a proposal to the Summer Research Fellowship Program and follow all requirements and stipulations associated with the summer program.
• Applicants who wish to enroll in additional summer coursework or engage in additional summer employment must gain approval from their mentor (also called “sponsor”) and the Program Coordinator of Academic and Student Affairs office (cara.allen@usu.edu) before applying for the Veterinary Research Scholars Program.
• Each fellowship recipient will be required to sign a letter than stipulates they understand and agree to the above requirements and that failure to meet these requirements will result in stipend funds being withheld and/or repaid to the CVM.

Review criteria

Acceptance into the Research Scholars program is competitive. If you are interested in research and the Research Scholars program and still have questions after reviewing information at the vetmed.usu.edu research website, please contact Dr. Jeff Mason (jeff.mason@usu.edu).  Previous research experience is not required or necessary; however, previous academic achievement and a genuine interest in exploring a research-oriented career in veterinary medicine is essential. Please also see the review criteria for the Veterinary Summer Research Fellowship Program for more details on how projects will be reviewed and scored.

Funding

Funding for the Research Scholars program is provided via the USU College of Veterinary Medicine. Awards from these sources are made contingent upon the faculty mentor agreeing to provide material support for the project. Each Summer Research Fellowship Program Award provides a $6,000 student stipend in the summer. Veterinary Research Scholars are awarded an additional $2500 stipend each year to support their continued research efforts in the spring and fall semesters.

Required application materials

If you wish to be considered for this program, please submit a formal application to the 2023 Veterinary Summer Research Fellowship Program, along with the following supplemental materials:

Short Essay
This essay should not exceed 5 typed pages. Please use 11 pt Arial font, 1-inch margins, 1.5-line spacing, and page numbers. The essay should detail the following:
1)  Your motivation for desiring admission to the Research Scholars program
2) What you hope to get out of the Research Scholars program.
3) What you now see yourself doing in five years?  Ten years?
4) A description of any previous research experiences (previous experience is not required, but we would like to know about experiences you may have had).

Optional letter of recommendation:
This letter should emphasize your experiences and qualities relevant to research. For instance, letters from previous research advisors or supervisors would be beneficial for the committee in evaluating your application. 

How to submit your application

Combine all of the above required elements of your application, including the applicant and mentor letters, into a single electronic PDF file and name the file as follows: “lastname_firstname_VSRFP_2023.” This file must be submitted via a Qualtrics link by 5:00 PM MST on Friday, February 3, 2023. You will receive written notification of the disposition of your application by no later than the end of March 2023.

Application submission for Research Scholar

Summer Research Program

Summer Research Program

Summer Research Scholar Submission DUE Feb 3, 5pm

Eligibility

• Applicants must be 1st or 2nd year veterinary students but may not be enrolled in a graduate degree program.  Students that have received prior internship are eligible for a second year of research.
• Student applicants must not be on academic probation. Prior to applying, please check with the Office of Student Services to verify your status. Although an absolute class rank minimum is not established, please be aware the class rank may influence the competitiveness of your application.

Stipulations upon award

• The application due date is February 3, 2023, by 5:00 PM MST 
• Students are expected to commit 12 weeks during the summer to their research project. This leaves four weeks for vacation or other activities. The work period is May 16 – Aug. 15, 2023.
• Successful applicants will be expected to commit to an intensive, full-time work schedule on their approved research project during the summer months, although the amount of time required, and the schedule of activities will ultimately be determined by your mentor.
• Applicants who wish to enroll in additional summer coursework or engage in additional summer employment must gain approval from their mentor (also called “sponsor”) and the Program Coordinator of Academic and Student Affairs office (cara.allen@usu.edu) before applying for the summer fellowship.
• Successful applicants must complete all required training; namely, (1) all mandatory USU laboratory safety training, (2) all lab specific training as directed by the sponsor (e.g., PI, mentor), and (3) the CITI “Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Curriculum.” Note, you must pass each module with a score of 80% or higher. Detailed instructions will be sent out regarding these requirements upon invitation and acceptance to the program.
• Students who receive summer research fellowships must also agree to: (1) participate in the summer research trainee workshop series hosted by Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences (ADVS), (2) agree to present a poster describing their project and its results at the ADVS Department Research Symposium in early August, and (3) submit a progress or final summary report by mid-August.
• Each fellowship recipient will be required to sign a letter than stipulates they understand and agree to the above requirements and that failure to meet these requirements will result in stipend funds being withheld and/or repaid to the CVM.

Review Criteria

Applications will be judged competitively by the CVM Research Committee. Criteria include: (1) scientific merit of the research proposal, (2) grantsmanship of the proposal regarding its overall clarity, logic, and feasibility, (3) perceived level of student participation in preparation of the application, (4) faculty mentor research environment and commitment to the project (e.g. does the mentor have a strong record of research in the area of the application as evidenced by publications and/or extramural funding), and (5) perceived level of student professionalism and commitment to execution of the proposed project and to scientific exploration in general.

If you have any questions, including the appropriateness of your research topic, please email the chair of the CVM Student Research Steering Committee, Dr. Jeff Mason (jeff.mason@usu.edu).

Funding

Funding for the Summer Research Fellowship program is provided via the USU College of Veterinary Medicine. Awards from these sources are made contingent upon the faculty mentor agreeing to provide material support for the project. Specifically, the award will provide $6,000 to cover the student’s stipend. Awardees should know that this support will be subject to all applicable federal and state taxes or other applicable withholding. Historically, we have been able to fund 4-6 awards per year. However, the actual number of awards is always subject to change due to funding uncertainties or the identification of additional funding sources (e.g., available grant support from the sponsoring faculty member).

Selecting a mentor

All USU-CVM, WSU-CVM and USDA-PPRL faculty are eligible to sponsor students as advisors for summer research Fellows. Sponsors from other departments or organizations will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

When selecting a mentor, you should speak with him/her to learn about their research and to request reprints and related materials to help identify labs with which you share interests. Determine the level of interest from the prospective mentor. It is appropriate to determine if the potential mentor has sufficient resources to support your efforts even if you do not receive a fellowship. This is important, because in some years the number of worthy applications exceeds the number of available summer fellowship funds. To learn more about faculty research interests, please see the following links:

USU Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences
USDA Poisonous Plants Research Laboratory
Paul G. Allen School For Global Animal Health
WSU School of Molecular Biosciences
WSU Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience
WSI Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
WSU Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology

Required Application Materials

How to submit your application

Combine all of the above required elements of your application, including the applicant and mentor letters, into a single electronic PDF file and name the file as follows: “lastname_firstname_VSRFP_2023.” This file must be submitted the button below by 5:00 PM MST on Friday, February 3, 2023. You will receive written notification of the disposition of your application by no later than the end of March 2023. 

Application Submission Summer Research Fellowship