Graduate Medical Education (GME) and the Old Dominion University Honors College started the EVMS-ODU Research Apprenticeship experience in 2014. We partner EVMS faculty and/or residents with an undergraduate student for 16 weeks.
During this experience, the student assists the faculty member or resident on research or projects, shadows in patient care and gains valuable mentorship in academic medicine. Typically, these students are planning careers in medicine, pharmacology, nursing, physical therapy, physician assistant, medical sciences, counseling or psychology. At the end of the semester, students present their project experience to their cohort classmates, Dean of the ODU Honors College, and their designated EVMS mentor(s).
ODU Honors College Student Role
The student will devote approximately 5 hours of week of assigned tasks and meetings with their mentor.
Tasks include, but are not limited to the following:
- Completing literature searches and data entry
- Creating PowerPoint presentations and scientific posters
- Attending project team meetings
- Assisting in writing manuscripts
Based on the depth of the student's involvement on a project, the student would be included as an author on all presentations and publications and will be invited to join the research team to present the project at various conferences. All presenters and students are expected to provide their own funding to attend the conference.
Requirements of the Student
The student must:
- Be an upper-level undergraduate (junior or senior)
- Be capable of using Excel, PowerPoint and Word
- Have good oral and written communication skills
- Experience in literature review, data collection and data entry would be a plus.
- Be reliable, conscientious and able to work well with a diverse research team
- Hold a minimum 3.25 GPA
- Be interviewed and approved by the Dean of the ODU Honors College, David Metzger, PhD, and the Director of GME Educational Programs, Heather Newton, EdD, MEd
Ideal candidates are those in a pre-medicine program, nursing, psychology and/or sciences. Others will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Once students are selected, they will be directed to:
- Complete EVMS Volunteer application and paperwork
- Complete the online Human Subjects Protections Research Training through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative program
- Attend an initial meeting with Dr. Newton, their EVMS mentor and other research/project team members
