Guidelines for Students Considering a Year of Scholarship for Research

These guidelines have been prepared in order to answer some basic questions and inform you about what you need to do if you would like to take a year of full-time research.

1. If you will be doing your project at MSSM, you must prepare a brief outline, e.g., 3-5 pages, of your project. The purpose of this is both to provide a structure for you to follow, as well as ensuring that a productive and worthwhile experience has been organized for you. (This is a year of your life after all!) The guidelines for Preparing a Research Proposal that are available in the Medical Student Research Office may be helpful. If you have been accepted to an external program, or awarded a fellowship or grant, you may provide a copy of your application and letter of acceptance instead. Submit this information to my office.
2. All proposals for independent projects must be accompanied by a letter from your mentor, whether at MSSM or another institution. This letter should include the name of the project, a statement to the effect that he/she supports your taking a Year of Scholarship (Research) to work on the project, that you will have a chance to provide some of your own input to the project, and that your personal goals, as stated on your Year of Scholarship data form (MS Word), are achievable. It should also state what your specific role on the project will be, if it is part of a larger effort involving other people. If your program is external, submission of the application and letter of acceptance are sufficient.
3. If one of your aims is to increase your chances of qualifying for a residency, you should discuss with your mentor or the department chair whether he/she thinks you can expect this.
4. Once the proposal is accepted, and your account is current, you will receive an official letter confirming your Research Leave of Absence and a Year of Scholarship Status form. This letter will contain information about health insurance, Financial Aid matters, and how to subscribe to the list serve that will enable you to stay in touch with the class you will be rejoining at the end of the year. Please complete the form and return it to the Medical Student Research Office.
5. You will be required to submit a paper, approximately five pages, on the work you have done before you are able to reenter school and register for the next academic year. The paper should follow the general format of a manuscript prepared for journal submission, e.g., abstract, introduction/background, materials and methods, results, discussion, and references. If a manuscript has been prepared for publication, this may be submitted instead.
6. Other than as part of the Doris Duke Program, funds to provide support for students taking Year of Scholarship (Research) are not available from the school at the present time. Some mentors can provide stipends. If not, you, however, borrow $10,000. This, together with a modest amount from your mentor, e.g., $5,000, and some tutoring should make this feasible. If you are offered more than one source of funding, you may accept only one of them, e.g., no "double dipping". The only exception is that if you are doing a project "off-site," in the USA or abroad, under the supervision of a Mount Sinai faculty member, you are permitted to accept a second award that exclusively covers travel expenses such as transportation, visa, vaccinations, etc. You must, however, inform me about the second award.
7. If you are now completing your second or third year, you need to take the boards before you begin scholarly leave.

You are welcome at any time to meet with Dr. Zier, now or during the year, to discuss your plans or any questions you have.

To schedule an appointment, please contact:
Grace Oluoch, at ext 44429 or via e-mail, grace.oluoch@mssm.edu.

[back]