VETERINARY SUMMER SCHOLARS RESEARCH PROGRAM | College of Veterinary Medicine

Application Deadline: Late February

The University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Summer Scholars Program is an 11-week research program designed to provide veterinary students with training in biomedical research. This program is only open to UTCVM veterinary students. We are unable to accept external candidates at this time.

This 11-week research program spans from late May to mid-August each year. Students will have 10 weeks of research and 1 week for oral presentations. Summer scholars work on research projects that will enable them to test hypotheses, pursue specific objectives, conduct research, interpret data, and present their research findings. Mentors for the students are highly experienced research faculty with established research programs here at UTCVM.

For Summer 2023, our program had generous support for funding up to 20 students from the Center of Excellence in Livestock Diseases and Human Health and 4 students from Boehringer-Ingelheim (as part of the Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program).

Additional funding opportunities are available from AVMA 2nd Opportunity, Merck Animal Health, Morris Animal Foundation, the USDA, etc. See below for those additional funding opportunity due dates.

Applicants for the UTCVM Veterinary Summer Scholars Research Program must be a current first or second year veterinary student.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The Veterinary Summer Scholars Program is an 11 week program beginning late May and ending mid August. Scholars engage in research projects under the mentorship of research faculty. This program is only open to UTCVM veterinary students. The Summer 2023 program dates are May 29, 2023 – August 11, 2023. Students will have 10 weeks of research and 1 week for oral presentations.

In addition to your research project, scholars will attend a mandatory weekly seminar series that will cover a range of topics including:

Conducting studies with animals – ethical and regulatory considerations.
Information resources for the clinical and basic sciences.
Effective grantsmanship and the development of hypothesis-driven research.
The essentials of manuscript preparation.
Preparing and presenting scientific data as a presentation or poster.
Training and practice in scientific writing.
A special session hosted by Boehringer-Ingelheim (as part of the Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program) regarding careers in research.

At the end of the summer, ALL scholars will present their research at UTCVM. Select students will also present at the National Veterinary Scholar Program Symposium, sponsored by Boehringer-Ingelheim. The Summer 2023 National Veterinary Scholar Program Symposium will be hosted in San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 4 – 6, 2023.

View all Summer 2023 key dates and activities here.

Current first and second year veterinary students at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine are encouraged to apply. If you are matched for a project, you must be in good academic standing when the program starts in late May. If you are not in good academic standing at the end of the spring semester, you forfeit your position in the program.

Each scholar must decide this with their mentor. This is a good question to ask during the mentor selection process. While some of the research projects can be completed in a traditional 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. workday, others involve weekend and evening work. In addition, if a scholar needs to be absent from the project for any reason, this needs to be discussed with their mentor.

Students funded by the COE program are paid $10 per hour, not to exceed 40 hours of work per week. Each project has a varying workload. Some projects may require full time 40 hours per week, whereas some projects may only require 20 hours per week. This is important to discuss with your potential mentors when looking for a project.

Students funded by Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck Animal Health, AVMA 2nd Opportunity, Morris Animal Foundation and the USDA/BI Scholars Program are expected to work full 40 hour weeks, for a pay rate set by the sponsoring agency. Those rates vary each year, but are usually between $5,000-$6,500 for full time 40 hours per week projects.

All available research projects will be posted here on February 6, 2023.

Once you find a project that you would like to work on, your next goal is to set up a meeting with that mentor to further discuss the project. You are encouraged to talk with multiple mentors, to get better understanding of what each project entails.

Next, students will fill out the application by clicking here. You will be required to list your potential mentors in preference order. You may list up to 5 mentors. Only list those projects that you are willing to work on. Student applications for Summer 2023 are due February 27, 2023 at 5pm.

Faculty mentors will also fill out a ranking form for up to four students in preference order. Mentor “ranking of student” forms for Summer 2023 are due February 27, 2023 at 5pm.

Last, the students and mentors will be matched. The student and mentor ranking forms will be processed by Assistant Dean Dr. Agricola Odoi and Summer Program Director Dr. Sree Rajeev.

Match results will be announced via email on March 6, 2023.

Interested faculty mentors must submit their project proposal by January 25, 2023.

Faculty “ranking of student forms” are due February 27, 2023 at 5pm.

Match results will be announced via email on March 6, 2023.

Summer 2023 employment will be May 29, 2023 – August 13, 2023. Students may not exceed 400 total hours for those 11 weeks.

Mentor Project Proposal Form

Ranking of Students Form

Mentor Responsibilities FAQ

Granting Agency	Description	Submission Info and Deadlines	Attachments/Links
AVMA/AVMF 2nd Opportunity Grant	The AVMA/AVMF 2nd Opportunity Summer Research Scholarship provides support for currently enrolled veterinary students who conducted a summer research project in summer 2022 and are seeking to gain a second summer of research experience. Five $6,000 awards have been provided in 2022.	January 11, 2023. UTCVM can only submit 1 application. Email Dr. Sree Rajeev srajeev@utk.edu with questions and to submit the application.	*AVMA/AVMF 2nd opportunity website and application*
Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholar	Merck Animal Health and the AVMF are dedicated to supporting exceptional veterinary students. Merck Animal Health is proud to show its dedication to veterinary students by providing $5,000 scholarships. Students are required to be in SAVMA.	December 15, 2022. Students/mentors apply directly to the website. UTCVM can submit an unlimited amount of applications.	*Merck Animal Health website*
Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Student Scholar	Each chosen Veterinary Student Scholar is awarded a $5,000 stipend to support their summer research project. The program is open to currently enrolled veterinary students in good standing from any AVMA-accredited US or international college, university or school of veterinary medicine.	December 1, 2022. UTCVM can only submit 1 application. Email Dr. Sree Rajeev srajeev@utk.edu with questions and to submit the application.	Morris Animal Foundation website *Morris Application and Guidelines*
USDA ARS BI Veterinary Scholars Program	Students are expected to be available at the ARS location for 10-12 weeks to conduct research and attend the NVSS symposium in August. Each scholar will receive a $7,500 stipend for the summer and an additional $1,000 in travel assistance to travel to and from the NVSS.	January 11, 2023. UTCVM can only submit 2 applications. Email Dr. Sree Rajeev srajeev@utk.edu with questions and to submit the application.	*USDA Scholars Program Informational PDF*

Program Contact Information

Dr. Sree Rajeev

Summer Program Director
srajeev@utk.edu

Dr. Agricola Odoi

Assistant Dean for Research & Graduate Studies
aodoi@utk.edu