Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Office of Research and Graduate Studies

Summer Research Programs

National Institutes of Health logo Merial logo

Introduction

Veterinarians represent a large, mostly untapped source of biomedical researchers. Their training provides them with a thorough understanding of animal physiology and disease, which uniquely qualifies them to integrate their knowledge into the development of animal models for human diseases.

This background makes veterinarians excellent candidates for biomedical graduate training programs and subsequent productive research careers. However, because they lack exposure to investigative programs, relatively few veterinary medical graduates pursue Ph.D. degrees that lead to research careers.
The Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine (MSU-CVM) offers a Summer Research Experience Program that introduces veterinary students to biomedical research and the exceptional career opportunities available in that field.

The Program

The Summer Research Experience is a twelve week program whose purpose is to provide student trainees with exposure and training in biomedical research and to provide them with skills that will help them grow into leaders in the veterinary profession. By participating in this program, students will gain a solid foundation for making informed career decisions.

To achieve this purpose, students receive training through two major components. The first is a hands-on research experience with a faculty mentor that begins in the first week of the program and continues through the twelve week program. The second component is a series of interactive educational experiences that begin in the first week of the program and culminate in attending the national Merial NIH Veterinary Scholars Symposium at the end of the program. MSU-CVM is committed to making the research experience for each trainee informative and professionally enriching.

Research Component
For the research component, each student in the Summer Research Experience Program works with a faculty mentor that has a matching research interest on a relevant medical problem. Through interaction with the mentor, trainees receive training in the formulation of a testable hypothesis and in the design of an appropriate experimental strategy. Trainees conduct research in the faculty mentor’s lab, and they work with their mentor to analyze and interpret their findings. Trainees then prepare and present their research results at the MSU-CVM Research Day and the Merial NIH Veterinary Scholars Symposium. Through this process, trainees learn the value of creative and critical thinking in research, and they receive practical experience in conducting, analyzing, and presenting their research findings.

Summaries of students’ research projects for the past two summers are provided at the following links: Student Abstracts 2009 | Student Abstracts 2008

Educational Component

Much of the educational component occurs during the first week of the program. The training during this week is in the form of interactive workshops that prepare students for their research experience and provide them with leadership skills and career guidance. Training workshops during this week include:

Ethics in Science and Research
Humane Use of Animals in Research
Scientific Writing and Presentations
Grant Proposal Writing
Patenting and Technology Transfer
Career Panel featuring veterinarians representing different career paths
Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiating

The educational component continues through the summer in the form of periodic meetings between program directors, trainees, and mentors, and it concludes in the Merial NIH Veterinary Scholars Symposium, which is held annually at a U.S. college of veterinary medicine. At the symposium, trainees present their research findings, attend sessions presented by national leaders in research and the veterinary profession, and interact with fellow veterinary student trainees from across the U.S. The 2010 Merial NIH Veterinary Scholars Symposium will be hosted by the University of Georgia on August 5-8.

Faculty Mentors

The key to the success of the Summer Research Experience Program is the close collaboration of outstanding students with dedicated, competent scientists. A list of the program's mentors and their research areas is provided at the following link: Faculty Mentors

Applicant Eligibility

Students must have successfully completed the freshman year of veterinary college and cannot have completed the veterinary degree at the time of participation in the program.
Mississippi State University is committed to diversity in the educational process and seeks to involve students from under-represented population groups in this program.
Students at any college of veterinary medicine in the United States may apply to the program. No prior experience in research is required.

Application Process

The elements of the application include the following:

an application form completed by the student. The application includes information on the student’s academic background, research background, and a description of the student’s interest and motivation for the program. The application also allows the student to indicate his or her area of research interest.
a letter from a faculty member that evaluates the applicant's potential and interest in research.

Submit Application by Email or Mail To:

Summer Research Experience Program
College of Veterinary Medicine
Office of Research and Graduate Studies (R2000)
Box 6100
Mississippi State, MS 39762

Application Deadline and Selection Process:

The application deadline is February 1 of the student's year of application. A selection committee chooses the participants in the program, and applicants will be notified whether they were selected for the program by the first week of March. The 2010 program will begin May 17, 2010.

Financial Support:

This program is generously funded by grants from the National Center for Research Resources / National Institutes of Health, Merial Veterinary Scholars Program, and through funds provided by the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine. Student trainees receive a minimum stipend of $5,193 for the entire twelve week program. All non-MSU students are provided a minimum of $1,200 for living expenses ($400 per month).

Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Student Scholar Program:

The Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Student Scholar Program also funds summer research projects for veterinary students in the areas of animal health and/or welfare. MAF funds research projects that benefit large companion animals, small companion animals, or wildlife/special species. This program is nationally competitive, and MAF announces its grant awardees in March of each year. To apply, students must first identify a research faculty member willing to serve as mentor. Together, the student and mentor develop a research proposal following the program guidelines. The full proposal needs to be submitted to the MSU-CVM Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies by January 27, 2010. Selected applications will be submitted to the Morris Animal Foundation by February 5, 2010. For more information on this program and application materials, contact Dr. Mark Lawrence or visit the program’s website: http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/professionals/veterinary-students

For more information about the Summer Research Experience Program, contact:
Dr. Mark Lawrence or Dr. Shane Burgess
Co-Directors, Summer Research Experience Program
MSU College of Veterinary Medicine
E-mail: lawrence@cvm.msstate.edu; burgess@cvm.msstate.edu
Telephone: Lawrence: 662-325-1195; Burgess: 662-325-1239

For information on the National Merial Veterinary Scholar Program, click here:
http://www.merialscholars.com/