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Medical Student Summer Research Experience in Radiation Oncology

The Radiation Oncology Medical Student Summer Research Program is a 10-week program that offers hands-on experience in radiation oncology research. Possible research experiences span a wide spectrum of opportunities, including but not limited to laboratory-based scientific studies, large dataset analyses, and review of patient clinical or imaging data. Students completing the first year of medical school are eligible to apply. Accepted students will take part in a paid/full-time (40 hours/week) onsite research experience.

Students will be matched with a mentor in the Division of Radiation Oncology based on shared interests and project availability. Throughout the summer, students will participate in radiation oncology-specific as well as institution-wide programming to help familiarize students with oncology broadly and radiation oncology specifically.

The program concludes with our annual Division of Radiation Oncology Summer Research Symposium where participants present talks and posters on their research projects to peers and faculty.

By participating in this program, we hope to provide students with an introduction to the field of radiation oncology, opportunities to engage with oncology research, and mentorship relationships that may last well beyond the summer.

The program entails:

Engagement in scientific research in collaboration with MD Anderson radiation oncology faculty,
Opportunities to develop mentorship relationships at MD Anderson,
Formal programming to introduce the field of radiation oncology, research opportunities within the department, and the diverse paths of faculty within the department,
Final presentation at the Division of Radiation Oncology Summer Research Symposium

Application Deadlines

The 2025 summer program will run from June 2, 2025 through August 8, 2025.

Application Opens: November 18, 2024

Application Closes: January 15, 2025 at 11:59 CST

The following information will be required:

Personal and demographic information
Official transcript(s) from undergraduate universities and first semester of medical school
Statement of research experience and areas of interest
Two letters of reference with contact information. At least one reference should come from a professor who has taught you in a class. The other may be from another professor or an advisor or mentor who you have worked with in the past four years.

Eligibility & Requirements

Students 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.
Applicants should be present for the full 10 weeks and not have other summer employment.
Students selected to the program must attend the Radiation Oncology Summer Research Symposium on Friday, August 1, 2025.

Stipend, Housing, and Expenses

Participants receive a stipend of up to $6,800 for the 10-week program.
This stipend amount includes allowances for housing, living, and travel expenses - no additional allowances are available.
Paychecks and stipend are based on actual days worked and will be issued on the 5th and the 20th of each month, deducting the required federal tax

Mentor Matching Process

Faculty members in the Division of Radiation Oncology serve as direct supervisors for summer research medical students.
Program-affiliated faculty belong to Radiation Oncology clinical departments, Radiation Physics, and/or Experimental Radiation Oncology and are engaged in many different areas of research.
Students are matched with a Division of Radiation Oncology faculty mentor based on the interests outlined in the personal statement and project availability.