Med Students SOAR Program

Deadlines are subject to change

• After the deadline, the program directors score the applications and may conduct interviews, if needed.
• Awardees must complete time-sensitive onboarding procedures between February and June.
• The summer interns must participate the entire length of the 8 to 10-week program, full-time (8 a.m.-5 p.m.), Monday – Friday and in-person. Partial participation (i.e., early or late program start/end) is not permitted. 
• Must be able to attend onboarding on June 2, 2025.

Action Items and Dates

•     Applications Open: November 18, 2024
•     Applications Close: January 15, 2025 11:59 CST

•     Application reviews: January to February 2025
•     Program Start: June 2, 2025
•     Program Orientation: June 3, 2025
•     Med Student SOAR Final Exposition: July 25, 2025
•     Summer program end (8-10 weeks): July 25 - August 9, 2025

Phase 1: Applicant Inquiry Form

1. Personal Information
2. Current Enrollment
3. CV/Resume
4. Official Transcript
5. Test Scores, MCAT
6. Statement of Research Experience and Interest

Phase 2: Log on to Slate and complete the final application steps

1. Recommendation Letters (two letters are required)
2. Additional Demographics and Future Plans Form
3. Internship Questions Form
4. Academic Awards and Honors

• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and legally approved to be in the United States during the entire length of the summer program.
• Must be in good academic standing who have completed their first year at a Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)- or Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA)-accredited U.S. medical school.
• Must have interest in cancer research – basic, translational or clinical.
• Must commit to the full 8- to 10-week program without other summer program commitments.
• Must be able to start on June 2, 2025.

Stipend

This internship is funded by an R25 grant award from the National Cancer Institute (R25 CA265800-01A1).

Stipend Payment Schedule

Students will be paid on the 5^th and 20^th of each month via direct deposit.

Work Schedule and Financial Support

• All students will work full-time at 40 hours per week. Normal hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Exact work schedules are subject to the primary mentor's needs and expectations.
• Awardees should not participate in concurrent employment or courses during this program.
• This internship does not provide health benefits, paid sick leave, paid vacation, or holiday pay.
• Additional financial support include up to $600 for research funds.

Application opens November 18, 2024. The following information will be required:

• Personal information (e.g., name, email, etc.)
• Current enrollment information (i.e., current school and enrollment dates)
• Official Transcript of Records
• Resume/CV (Please use our resume/CV template.)
• Statement of Research Experience and Interest (700 words):
  • Describe your research interests, prior experience, and future goals
  • How does training in oncology relate to your career interests/goals?
  • What are you hoping to gain or achieve from this summer experience?
• Two letters of reference with contact information. (Please see our guidelines for letters of recommendation.)

1. Launch the Application: Click the 'apply here' link at the top of this web page in November to launch the Inquiry Form.
2. Read the required three (3) sections before completing the inquiry form: 1) Please Read Before You Apply, 2) Additional Documents Required If Selected As A Final Candidate, and 3) Onboarding Contingencies That Require Early Action. (IMPORTANT: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, please select SOAR as your first choice to ensure your application is reviewed.)
3. Complete the Inquiry Form and upload the required documents:
       1. Personal Information (e.g., name, email, etc.)
       2. Current Enrollment (i.e., your current school and enrollment dates)
       3. Upload Resume/CV
       4. Upload Official Transcript
       5. Statement of Research Experience and Interest (i.e., Personal Statement). Character limit: 700 words.
   Double-check these items before clicking the SUBMIT button. The Slate system will not accept revised documents.
4. Create your Slate Account. After clicking the SUBMIT button, you will receive an email from MD Anderson Education & Training (trainee@mdanderson.org), subject line: "Complete your Trainee Position Inquiry Request." Follow the instructions and click the hyperlink in the email to create a Slate account and request your letters of recommendation.
5. Complete the Application:
       1. Read the Application Instructions
       2. Two (2) Letters of Recommendation: In the Recommendations screen, enter the contact information for both individuals who will write your letters of recommendation. Ideally, recommenders should be anyone who has known you for more than a year and preferably a faculty mentor, professor, research lab manager, or other professional in academia. After the applicant enters the recommender's information in the Slate system, the recommender will receive an email notification from trainee@mdanderson.org, subject line "Recommendation Request from YOUR NAME for MD Anderson Cancer Center" and a link to upload the letter of recommendation to your account. You will receive an email when the letter has been successfully uploaded.
       3. Complete the Additional Demographics and Future Plans form
       4. Complete the Internship or Graduation Requirement form
       5. Complete the Academic Awards and Honors form
   Note: There is no submit button in the "Complete the Application" stage. To check the status of your application, log on to your Slate account and select 'Status' from the menu. Your application is complete when all sections are complete and both letters of recommendation have been uploaded to your account.