The Medical Student Research Institute (MSRI)

The School of Medicine established the Medical Student Research Institute (MSRI) as part of its mission to promote research as an integral component of the MD Program. The MSRI provides opportunities for academically strong students to engage in basic, clinical, translational, or social science research under faculty mentorship. Research may allow students to explore specialties of interest, clarify career goals, and develop an academic record that may support residency applications.

There are two MSRI programs offered to students:

1. Basic Sciences MSRI Selective
2. Clinical MSRI Program

Basic Sciences MSRI Selective

The Basic Sciences MSRI selective is only available to student entering Term 2 who have a minimum WMPG of 90%. If accepted, each student will be matched with a SOM faculty mentor whose expertise aligns with the student’s research interests and career goals. If the collaboration results in a scholarly product, such as a paper or conference presentation, the student may apply for a Distinction in Research or a Distinction in Scholarly Activity Award, when they graduate.

Clinical MSRI Program

The Clinical MSRI program is open only to academically strong students who have completed Term 5 and rank within the top 5% of their cohort upon entry into Clinical Studies. The program has two core aims:

1. To advance the research goals reflected in the School of Medicine’s mission and outcome objectives; and
2. To enhance students’ professional development and competitiveness for residency programs. 

Consistent with these aims, the program seeks to reinforce the School of Medicine’s view that research is integral to medical education and the delivery of health care; facilitate collaboration between medical students and clinical teaching faculty in the design and implementation of clinical and basic science research; centralize clinical research activities within a single institutional framework to support the sharing of resources across clinical sites and the School of Medicine; promote, document, and track students’ scholarly activities throughout the clinical years of the MD program; provide online resources to support students and clinical faculty in publishing scholarly research; and offer participating students the opportunity to graduate with a Distinction in Research or a Distinction in Scholarly Activity.

Each student admitted into the Clinical MSRI program is assigned a Clinical Faculty Mentor whose expertise and research interests align as closely as possible with the student's interests and career goals. The student may assist the faculty member with an ongoing research project or collaborate with the mentor to design a new research project of mutual interest. 

If the collaboration results in a scholarly product, such as a paper or conference presentation, the student may apply for a Distinction in Research or a Distinction in Scholarly Activity Award, when they graduate.

More information about the Basic Sciences MSRI Selective and the Clinical MSRI Program MSRI, including selection criteria and required application materials, is available on the MSRI website.

Research Directors

Basic Sciences Research Coordinators