Research Track

Expectations will include: 

• An individualized Research Plan which will be created and monitored by the student in collaboration with a primary research mentor. 
• You are expected to spend a minimum of ½ day per week through the remainder of Phase I and for August through January of Phase II. 
• The class of 2025 will spend 4 weeks in a full time summer research experience between Phase I and II. You will receive a stipend of $2,350 for the four weeks of work in August.  
• During the summer between Phase I and Phase II and during the fall of Phase II, you will attend regularly scheduled meetings of the Research Track Program. These meetings will be held from 1:00-3:00 pm. Topics will include presentations by other students in the program and discussion of Research issues in Ethics. 
• All classes will spend eight weeks in a full time research experience during Phase IV. The eight weeks should be completed before December 1 of Phase IV. You will receive a stipend of $4800 ($2400 per month). 
• You will have the opportunity to present your research plans and findings: 
  • To peers in the program: In oral presentation format (10-15 minutes) at the Research Track seminar—either in the summer between Phase I and II or during Phase II. PowerPoint slides recommended. 
  • To campus-wide peers: In poster format at the annual Health Sciences Center Research Forum—December of Phase II. 
  • To a national group of peers: In oral or poster format (5 minutes) at the annual Western Medical Student Research Forum, held in Carmel, California—January of Phase IV (students will receive a stipend to help support travel and registration to the meeting) 
  • To a local group of faculty: Format will vary depending on your mentor’s departmental affiliation. 
  • To a national audience: Students are expected to submit an abstract to a national meeting. Presentation format will vary. 
• A primary goal of all Research Track participants is the submission of a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal for possible publication. This submitted manuscript may also be utilized to fulfill the mentored scholarly activity requirement of the School of Medicine. The manuscript submission must be submitted by December 1st of Phase IV. 

How to apply to Research Track 

Please check back for updates in late summer for application instructions for the Class of 2026.

1. In 2022 we have the following Departments/Institutes that provide funding for student slots in the Research Track. We are only accepting applications for projects that fall within these Departments/Institutes and for projects with approved mentors (see #2 below).

The departments currently available for funding include:

• Anesthesiology
• Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
• Cancer Center
• Child Psychiatry
• Dermatology
• Immunology and Microbiology
• Medicine
• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Obstetrics and Gynecology 
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedics
• Pathology
• Pediatrics
• Radiation Oncology
• Radiology
• Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine
• Surgery

2. Identify potential mentors from the list of Approved Mentor Names. You must work with one of the mentors on the approved list.  If your potential mentor is not on the department's list, then the mentor would need to obtain approval from the department chair to participate in the Research Track and be put on the approved list.  

3. Download a copy of the Research Track Application. 

4. Meet with potential mentors to discuss possible projects. Come to a mutual decision with a mentor to apply and then work with that mentor to complete the application.

5. Submit application materials electronically (by emailing coloradoresearchtrack@cuanschutz.edu). The deadline for submitting applications is 11:59 on October 3, 2022.  Required materials to submit include:

• A completed application form
• Both a student and mentor's CV or NIH-format biosketch (please make sure the mentor highlights, or otherwise designates, past or current mentees on the list of publications in the mentor’s CV).
• A separate email from the mentor confirming their willingness to serve as the student’s mentor. The mentor should include that he/she is aware that a core requirement of the Research Track is that the student will submit a first authored publication to a peer reviewed journal by February 1st of their fourth year.
• Student project preference sheet (if applicable)

Applications will be reviewed by the Research Track Steering Committee and results announced by November.

Here is the link to the rubric that the selection committee uses to evaluate applications: Research Track Application Rubric.

If you have questions about this process, please email Zachary Lundquist at coloradoresearchtrack@cuanschutz.edu

Funding for the Research Track comes from a variety of sources, each of which has separate requirements. As such, the number of applications funded may vary across Departments.