NYU Summer Undergraduate Wound Healing Research Fellowship
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The NYU School of Medicine Wound Healing Research Fellowship provides a
unique opportunity for premedical undergraduates to conduct clinical
and informatics research in the field of wound healing. Summer fellows
work with Dr. Harold Brem, Chief of Wound Healing & Regenerative
Medicine at NYU, along with leading scientists in a broad range of
areas that mainly involve the use of a Wound Electronic Medical Record
(WEMR). Areas of research include use of the WEMR to identify variables
contributing to amputations resulting from Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFUs)
and variables contributing to early stage Pressure Ulcers (PUs)
progressing to stage IV, determining the pathologic and microbial
characteristics of non-healing wounds, and clinical application of the
WEMR to improve patient outcomes. Students will get hands-on experience
in database querying and programming as well as clinical exposure to
the various types of chronic wounds.
College sophomores and juniors are eligible to spend 8 weeks during the
summer at NYU. The program begins the first week in June and ends the
second week in August. Students are matched with specific research
projects according to their stated research interests, and work on
projects under the direct supervision of faculty and postdoctoral
fellows. Each year, students are chosen from a wide variety of
applicants with diverse scientific backgrounds and training.
In order to fully experience the world of scientific research, summer
fellows are required to present and discuss scientific publications at
weekly Journal Club meetings. This exposure allows participants to
familiarize themselves with speaking to a scientific audience. Students
also attend a special didactic lecture series weekly where Dr. Brem and
leading faculty discuss their research and the evolution of their
scientific interests. Lecture series topics include introductory
bioinformatics, basics of wound healing, application of the WEMR to
clinical anesthesia, application of the WEMR clinically to radiology
and computer programming. Students will also meet with Dr. Brem
individually for an hour once a week to discuss the progress of their
projects and manuscripts. At the end of the program, SURF students will
present their research results to fellow students and mentors and will
each submit one peer-reviewed publication.
SURF students receive a stipend of $4,000. Students who are traveling
from other cities will receive a traveling stipend. Students will have
access to all NYU facilities including the gym, student activities
center and the library. Summer fellows are encouraged to attend social
and cultural events occurring both on and off campus. New York City has
an infinite number of attractions and students should experience as
many of them as possible.
Important Dates
Application Deadline:
June 15, 2009
Notification Dates:
End of May 2009
Program Dates:
June 1 to August 15, 2009
All applicants must apply online.
New York University's School of Medicine Summer Undergraduate Wound
Healing Research Fellowship invites premedical undergraduate students
interested in a career in academic medicine and research to participate
in a structured summer research program under the guidance of leaders
in the fields of wound healing, clinical research and informatics.
Our team has established a biomedical informatics laboratory funded by
the National Institutes of Health and devoted to the determining if
using the Wound Electronic Medical Record (WEMR) can decrease
amputations in those with diabetic foot ulcers and prevent stage IV
pressure ulcers. Through recording each patient visit in the WEMR, we
have the capability to identify when treatment needs to be changed for
a non-healing wound, this obviating amputation or sepsis. This part of
the research core consists of three full-time post-doctoral fellows,
all of whom have surgical training and are fully devoted to improving
outcomes for the patients they see every day as well as premedical and
undergraduate students who run the database.
APPLICATION
The NYU Summer Undergraduate Wound Healing research Fellowship is
designed to provide qualified, highly motivated premedical college
students majoring in biological or computer sciences, an opportunity to
experience clinical and informatics research. Each year, outstanding
college sophomores and juniors are chosen from a large pool of
applicants. Summer fellows are matched according to their stated field
of interest with faculty, postdoctoral researchers or graduate
students. These mentors volunteer to help design and supervise
individualized summer projects for the students. The eight students
accepted into the program will receive a stipend of $4, 000.00 for the
8 week period of June 15 through August 15, 2009.
Applicants to the SURF Program must submit:
* The completed on-line application form.
* A two-page
summary statement describing the applicant's academic background,
scientific interests, research experience (if any) and career goals.
Applicants should discuss how they would benefit from the SURF Program.
* An official transcript (sealed by the university registrar).
* Two letters of recommendation preferably from professors or mentors
who can evaluate the applicant based on performance in current or
completed research projects. Letters of recommendation should be
submitted online. If letters of recommendation are not submitted
online, they must be mailed in separate sealed envelopes, signed across
the seal, to the address below.
For questions please contact:
Karen Zimmerman, MD
Karen.zimmerman@nyumc.org
212-263-3002
Any documents not submitted online should be mailed to:
NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases
The Wound Healing center
301 East 17th Street
New York, NY 10003
Applications must be submitted no later than May 25, 2009. Completed
applications will be reviewed in the order they are received. Final
decisions will be made by end of May - early June 2009.
