Summer Research Programs
OSCTR institutions have developed several different Summer Research Programs with targeted audiences of either current professional students or undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in science and medicine. These programs were initiated to encourage undergraduate students to pursue careers in biomedical research and are increasingly incorporating clinical and translational science representation and mentors.
The OSCTR Summer Research Training Program is for students currently enrolled in a doctoral- or master's-level graduate or professional degree program.
The OSCTR Summer Research Training Program
The OSCTR Summer Research Training Program was initiated in 2007. It provides an opportunity for up to ten professional or graduate students at OSCTR partner institutions to gain an introduction to clinical and translational sciences. These trainees experience CTR principles in didactic coursework and are immersed in a mentored research experience for eight weeks. Students are exposed to a full range of clinical and translational research concepts, including extending basic science research into clinical practice, developing and implementing new practice models, community-based and public health research, and culturally- and patient-oriented research.
The following programs are for students currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree-granting program.
The OUHSC SURP Programs
Each OUHSC SURP program involves students engaging in mentored, cutting-edge research in basic biomedical sciences or clinical and translation research. OUHSC-based students attend weekly seminars designed to enhance communication skills, provide exposure to diverse research practices, and offer guidance for career development. Each program lasts nine weeks and culminates with students presenting their research and accomplishments at a research fair. Students can receive college credit for their participation.
Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE)
SURE was initiated in 1989 and has mentored participants from Oklahoma and across the US. Acceptance is based on the applicant’s academic record, interest in a biomedical research career, and recommendation letters from undergraduate faculty. Students must have completed at least two years of undergraduate study. A stipend and housing are provided to the students.
IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Developed in 2001, this NIH-funded program recruits students for biomedical research careers. The INBRE conducts its selection process for highly qualified undergraduate students and has placed more than 200 students in a mentored research experience at Oklahoma institutions, including:
| University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | Northeastern State University | University of Tulsa |
| Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation | Oklahoma State University campuses | Langston University |
| University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus | Northwestern Oklahoma State University | East Central University |
| University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | Cameron University |
| Oklahoma Panhandle State University | University of Central Oklahoma | Rogers State University |
| Northeastern State University |
Students enrolled in Oklahoma state regional colleges and community colleges are eligible to apply after completing two years of undergraduate study or 30 hours of community college credit. Additionally, the program provides a stipend.
Native American Research Center for Health (NARCH) Student Development Program
The NIH and the Indian Health Service fund this research program. It supports American Indian undergraduate students in their pursuit of biomedical research careers. Undergraduate American Indian students are recruited from Oklahoma and across the US. Six students are accepted each summer, and a stipend is provided. Selection is by a committee of OUHSC faculty and representatives from the Chickasaw and Cherokee Tribes. NARCH mentor labs are focused on research relevant to American Indian health issues.
The Stephenson Cancer Center Summer Research Scholars Program
This program was established in 2010 and is a CTR-infused program to allow outstanding undergraduate students to perform mentored cancer-related research. Students must have completed between 60 and 100 credit hours of undergraduate study. The program accepts up to ten students per year and provides a stipend.
For students currently enrolled as a high school senior or college freshman, sophomore, or junior:
OMRF Fleming Scholar Program
The program was founded in 1956 to give Oklahoma’s high school and college students “hands-on” biomedical research experience. The program is named after Sir Alexander Fleming, the famed British scientist who discovered penicillin. In 1949, he came to Oklahoma City to formally dedicate the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s first building. In 1982, the Fleming Scholar Program became a model for a national program funded by the federal government to bring the best and brightest high school and college students into contact with the best and brightest scientific and mathematical minds in government and non-government laboratories. Today the Fleming Scholar Program remains popular, attracting as many as 100 applicants each year; applicants must be an Oklahoma resident. The Fleming Scholar Program also provides a stipend and housing.