NIDDK Medical Student Research Program in Diabetes
This Program is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and allows medical students during the summer between the first and second year or second and third year to conduct research under the direction of an established scientist at one of the Diabetes Research Centers. Prior research experience is not required.
The objectives of this Program are to provide the opportunity for the student to conduct diabetes-related or obesity-related research and to gain an improved understanding of career opportunities in biomedical research. Participants will also develop a comprehensive understanding of diabetes, its clinical manifestations and its unsolved problems.
The diabetes-related and obesity-related research opportunities are quite broad and range from basic laboratory studies to clinical studies in humans. The preceptor and the medical student jointly design a research project that is then conducted over the course of the summer. In addition to working on his/her own research project, each student attends a series of web-cast seminars addressing various clinical and research aspects of diabetes mellitus and its complications. At the conclusion of the summer, each student presents a brief summary of his/her work at a scientific symposium for all Program participants in Nashville, TN (July 31 - August 1, 2013).