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The CVM Summer Scholar Research Program introduces veterinary medicine students to research in a wide array of areas such as clinical medicine, animal science, public health, epidemiology, pharmacology, biomechanics, neuroscience, immunology, parasitology, molecular genetics and cellular or molecular pathology. Participants choose to investigate specific issues that match their interest and the work of an established researcher. Scholars will work with faculty mentors and other research personnel for approximately three months (May-August). Through hands-on experiences, seminars and tours, students will gain valuable perspectives on the exciting roles played by veterinarians in biomedical and public health research. A stipend is provided to defray costs of participation.
Program seminars will assist scholars in developing critical thinking skills, preparing hypothesis-based proposals, designing statistically sound experiments, and appropriate interpretation and presentation of data. The training program is offered through Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, and applications for participation are accepted from eligible students enrolled in ALL colleges and schools of veterinary medicine in the U.S.
Applications are now open. They will close on 2/14/2023. Be sure to have all the below requested information before beginning your application.
Click Here to Apply for the 2023 CVM Summer Scholar Research Program.
2023 Program Key Dates
Applications close: 2/14/2023
Annual CVM Summer Scholar Research Day
The National Veterinary Scholar Symposium (NVSS) is scheduled to be in Puerto Rico this year. Dates are 8/3-8/7. These are tentative, depending on flights.
CVM Research Day is tentatively scheduled for 8/16/2023.
The program is open to first- and second-year veterinary students enrolled in any of the 30 U.S. colleges and schools of veterinary medicine
Students from overseas institutions area also considered for participation
Students enrolled in graduate programs are NOT eligible to participate (this does not include concurrent students completing rotations)
A GPA of 3.0 or higher is required
Preference is given to applicants who have not previously participated in the program
CVM Summer Scholar Research Program is funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, Boehringer Ingelheim, Iowa Livestock Health Advisory Council (ILHAC), and additional funds at the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine. Each scholar will receive a monthly stipend for the entire 13-week program (1 week of vacation is allowed, but must be approved by scholar's faculty mentor).
Research Scholar On-line application will request the following information:
A brief resume which includes your GPA
Names and phone numbers of two references
One-page personal statement (related to the research program -- what you bring to the program or hope to gain as a participant)
Matches are made based on a combination of the student's GPA, funding availability and criteria, and faculty and student interest. All attempts are made to match the student's with their 1st choice project.
GPA and academic performance
Work and research interests/experience
Stated long-term goals
Potential for success
Student Applications are now open. Applications will close on 2/14/2023.
Match with Research Mentors
The match between a Research Scholar and a Faculty Mentor is central to the Summer Scholar Research experience. Once students are selected as Research Scholars, several steps occur to create the appropriate match.
Faculty mentors will have submitted a research abstract describing an important problem to be investigated and specific aims associated with the proposed research project. Then:
Current year's Mentor Abstracts will be uploaded into the CVM Summer Scholar Research Program online application form by mid-January each year.
The scholars are required to rank their top six preferences for participating mentors/projects. Please complete the project rankings section in the Summer Scholar online application.
If mutually agreed upon and ample funding is available, matches are made by the program directors.
The student applicants will be notified about the matching process via email.
Project Abstracts
Follow the below links to the three categories of project abstracts. During the application process, you must select at least one project from each category as part of your top 6 projects.
To denote preference on the application, please make note of both the abstract code and last name of the Principal Investigator (PI), to ensure that the correct abstract is being identified. To make this easier, this is found in bold text in the upper left hand corner of the page (Example: "A1-Cho".)
Abstract Lists Updated 1/18
Group A Abstracts
Group B Abstracts
Group C Abstracts
To expedite the application process, be sure to have all information gathered before beginning. You will need: Your project choices, Your resume/CV, two references, and your brief personal statement.If you have questions regarding the application process, please contact Karen Barker: kbarker@iastate.edu
Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, 3680 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.
Faculty Program Director
Dr. Jodi McGill, 515-294-2635, jlmcgill@iastate.edu
Faculty Program co-Director
Dr. Jodi Smith, 515-294-9013, jdismith@iastate.edu
Karen Barker, 515-294-4348, kbarker@iastate.edu
The Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Research Award Program for Graduate Veterinarians
This research award program is open to veterinarians who have completed graduate research or residency programs and provides a $2500 honorarium and the opportunity to present her/his research at the 2023 BIVSP Symposium at San Diego UCSD and
Western University. For additional details on this research award please go to the Boehringer Ingelheim Scholars Web site here.
Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program