Summer Opportunities for Underrepresented Students
The summer break between school year is a great opportunity to develop your interest in medicine. There are a lot of programs specifically focusing on developing the interest of minority and underrepresented students.
These summer opportunities are especially valuable if you are interested in conducting research, and there are limited opportunities for you to do so on campus. You can also develop longitudinal relationships with your research mentor, who can be of great support during the application journey.
Timeline
Start your search early! Many of the summer programs have their applications due in the middle to end of the Fall semester, around October to December. Many of them will also require multiple recommendation letters, and you want to give your letter writers at least four weeks’ notice. This will mean starting the application process right around when school starts in the Fall.
Opportunities
The majority of programs are structured research internships, and many programs offer stipends for participants. During these internships, students are usually paired with a faculty mentor and are expected to present their research in the final weeks of the program. Some opportunities are less structured and are offered as scholarships to financially support students on their independent projects.
Be sure to check each program’s eligibility criteria, as they are all slightly different. Additionally, some opportunities offer participation to high schoolers and recent college graduates, in addition to undergraduates.
Here are some resources to search for summer internships:
Haverford College Opportunities for Underrepresented Applicants: comprehensive list separating programs by state.
Rochester Institute of Technology Co-Op/Internships and Summer Research Opportunities for Minority & Underrepresented Students: comprehensive list separating programs by state. Co-op programs are also listed.
Brown University Opportunities for Students Underrepresented in Health Professions: comprehensive list separating programs by geographic region.
Your school may also have summer programs available. If you have a premed office or advisor, they can be great points of contact to ask about these opportunities.
How to pick programs
Many of the programs have specific topics of interest, such as global health, research in a specific medical field, public health, etc. You should consider which of the programs’ missions aligns with your interests.
If possible, try to connect with students that have participated in the program before. Especially for programs that are run by your school, speaking with students is a great way to understand what the expectations of the programs are. You can also consider asking your advisors if they have mentored students that have previously participated in the programs.
