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 working on your research project through the remainder of Year 1 (Plains). 
• You are required do a 4 week full-time summer research experience working in your mentor's lab during the summer after your first year (Discovery period). You will receive a stipend for the four weeks of work. 
  • Students on certain Visas may have restrictions on whether they can receive stipends. All requirements are the same for students on Visas who cannot accept a stipend (the 4 week summer research experience is required). 
• During Year 1 (Plains)  you will attend scheduled Wednesday meetings of the Research Track Program from 12-1 PM. These meetings will be virtual and will be held no more than once/month. You and your peers will be presenting your work in these sessions in the late spring of your first year. 
• Students will complete two 4-week full time research electives sometime during their 3rd and 4th years.  These two electives should be completed before December 1 of your MS4 year. You will receive a stipend for each of these two research months.  Students can elect a third month of research, but there is no stipend. 
• 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 Wednesday 12 Noon meetings— in the late spring  of your 1st year and again in the summer between years 1 and 2. PowerPoint slides will be used with your presentations. 
  • To campus-wide peers: In poster format at the annual Health Sciences Center Research Forum—December of your MS2 year. 
  • To a national group of peers: In oral or poster format at the annual Western Medical Student Research Forum, held in Carmel, California—January of your MS2 year (students will receive funds to support travel and registration to the meeting) 
  • To a national audience: Students are expected to submit an abstract to a national meeting and present if the abstract is accepted.  

A primary goal of all Research Track participants is the submission of a 1st authored (or 1st co-authored) manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal for possible publication by the midpoint of your 4th year.

Research Track

The CU Anschutz School of Medicine Research Track provides students with in-depth long-term exposure to research. Successful completion of the Research Track fulfills the Mentored Scholarly Activity (MSA) requirement. It is a rigorous program with more time commitment and requirements than the traditional MSA program. This is an open and competitive program for all first-year medical students. Students admitted to the program will:

• Work with a mentor to build a research plan
• Carry out that plan through their four years of medical school
• Complete 4 weeks of full-time research over the summer between the pre-clerkship year (year 1) and the clerkship year (LIC, year 2)
• Complete 2-3 research electives during the last ~15 months of medical school
• Have multiple opportunities to present their findings
• Present their research at the Western t Medical Research Conference in Carmel, California
• Present their research at a national meeting appropriate for their research topic
• Submit a first-author manuscript to a peer reviewed journal prior to Feb 1 of their 4th year
• Present their research as a poster during the 4th year Capstone event

Research Track Goals

• Graduates will have the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to be lifelong, self-directed learners.
• Foster student development of an identity as a physician capable of being involved with and completing research efforts.
• Graduates will acquire the knowledge and skills to successfully complete the components of a research project including:
  • Identification of a health care related scientific question
  • Participation in data collection and analysis
  • Oral dissemination of scientific information
  • Written dissemination of scientific information

Information for Students Applying to the Research Track - Application Period Opens August 11, Closes October 5, 2026

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 working on your research project through the remainder of Year 1 (Plains).
• You are required to do a 4-week full-time summer research experience working in your mentor's lab during the summer after your first year (Discovery period). You will receive a stipend for the four weeks of work.
  • Students on certain Visas may have restrictions on whether they can receive stipends. All requirements are the same for students on Visas who cannot accept a stipend (the 4-week summer research experience is required).
• During Year 1 (Plains) you will attend scheduled Wednesday meetings of the Research Track Program from 12-1 PM. These meetings will be virtual and will be held no more than once/month. You and your peers will be presenting your work in these sessions in the late spring of your first year.
• Students will complete two 4-week full-time research electives sometime during their 3rd and 4th years. These two electives should be completed before December 1 of your MS4 year. Students can elect a third month of research.
• You will have present your research plans and findings:
  • To peers in the program in oral presentation format at the Research Track Wednesday 12 Noon meetings— in late spring of your 1st year and again in the summer between years 1 and 2. At a regional meeting in oral or poster format at the Western Medical Student Research Forum, held in Carmel, California (January of your MS2 year - students will receive funds to support travel and registration to the meeting)
  • At a national meeting, students are expected to submit an abstract to a national meeting and present it at the meeting if the abstract is accepted.

A primary goal of all Research Track participants is the submission of a 1st authored (or 1st co-authored) manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal for possible publication by the midpoint of your 4th year.

How to apply to Research Track

1. The following Departments/Institutes that will 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. Approved mentors are those listed in the database (see #2 below).

   The departments that have agreed to fund a student to participate in the Research Track are below (note: all departments do not participate):

   • Cancer Center
   • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
   • Endocrinology Metabolism and Diabetes
   • Fort Collins Branch
   • Medicine
   • Neurology
   • Neurosurgery
   • Ophthalmology
   • Orthopedics
   • Pediatrics
   • PURE (Pediatric Urology Research Enterprise)
   • Radiation Oncology
   • Radiology
   • Surgery

2. The Mentor and Project database (the link is below) lists mentors (and their projects). Students should contact mentors with projects of interest and meet with the mentor to see if both parties think they would be a good fit. This database will be updated if new mentors/projects are identified. We will provide a statement here that the database is final once we ensure we have all available projects. However, the mentors and projects listed are available and you can proceed with meeting with potential mentors after August 11th (when the application period opens).

   Identify potential mentors/projects of interest from the Mentor and Project Database You must work with one of the mentors on the approved list in the Mentor and Project Database. Not all departments participate in this program.

   Students at the Ft. Collins Branch campus should set up a meeting with Casey Gries to talk about projects. Depending on your personal interests, Dr. Gries can direct you to potential mentors in Ft. Collins.

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. You should allow plenty of time to complete the application (applications may take about a month to complete but this varies). You should plan to have your mentor review (and make suggestions for revision) of your application well before the deadline to make sure you can complete the revisions and submit them by the deadline. There will be some components of the application that you will need to get from your mentor.

5. Submit application materials electronically (by emailing coloradoresearchtrack@cuanschutz.edu). The deadline for submitting applications is 11:59 on October 5, 2026. Required materials to submit include:

   • A complete application form
   • The student applicant’s CV
   • The mentor's CV or NIH-format bio sketch. Please make sure to ask the mentor to highlight, or otherwise designate, past or current mentees on the list of publications in the CV.
   • A separate email from the mentor confirming their willingness to serve as the student’s mentor. The mentor should include a statement of their awareness 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.

   Applications will be reviewed by the Research Track Steering Committee and results announced around November 16th.