I would once again like to bring your attention to the Gateways to the Laboratory Summer Program,
sponsored by the Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering Tri-Institutional
MD-PhD Program in New York City. This ten week program allows freshman and sophomore (class of 2010 or 2011)
underrepresented minority and/or disadvantaged students to
experience life as a MD-PhD
student. The federal NIH definition (which we adhere to) of underrepresented
minority (in the sciences) and/or disadvantaged is available on-line:
http://grants.nih.gov/training/faq_diversity.htm#a3
The Gateways students experience an exciting summer as they conduct
independent research projects in a lab at one of our three institutions, while
participating in a number of clinical activities including scrubbing into
surgeries. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience, first
hand, life as a physician-scientist.
At the end of the summer, the Gateways students give oral, written and poster
presentations of their research. Last year, we were able to raise funds
to pay for travel and lodging expenses so that each Gateways student could have
at least one family member come, as our guest, to New York City in order to
attend the final presentations.
The Gateways to the Laboratory Program awards a stipend of $4300 and reimburses
the students for their travel expenses. On campus housing is available.
The Gateways to the Laboratory Program started in 1993 as the first summer
program to be run by a MD-PhD Program. A number of our alumni are now
students at some of the top MD-PhD Programs across the country, including our
own Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program. The NIH expressed an interest in
using the Gateways Program as a model for other institutions. Recently,
our program was featured on the NIH web page as a model program with a notable
record of recruitment and retention strategies.
The on-line application will be available at:
http://www.med.cornell.edu/mdphd/summerprogram/application.html
The application
deadline is February 1, 2008 (as is the deadline for most summer
programs). Early completed applications are strongly encouraged.
Please inform your students of this wonderful opportunity. This program is ideal for
those students contemplating the combined MD-PhD degree.
As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact
me.
****Please note, this year, the Gateways to
the Laboratory Program is open to underrepresented minority students AND/OR
disadvantaged students. We use the federal NIH definition of
underrepresented minority and/or disadvantaged:
http://grants.nih.gov/training/faq_diversity.htm#a3
Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season and new year.
Sincerely,
Ruth Gotian