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Program Details

If you have any questions, please submit your question through the Ask PRISM form.  The Program Director or Coordinator will respond to your question.

Eligibility

Institution and Year of Study

University of Maryland School of Medicine medical students currently in their first year of studies.

Fulfill Program Requirements

Able to fulfill key program requirements.

  • 9 weeks during summer 2024 committed to the program research project and enrichment programming
  • Attend and fully participate the 3 major summer events 
  • Attend 80% of the scheduled sessions in the seminar series
  • Submit a final report for the program research project after the end of the program

Research Mentor

Main research mentor must be a faculty member at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).

Location of Project

In-person at the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus.  For research at UMB affiliated research and clinical facilities, majority of the program research project must be executed and completed in-person on UMB campus. 

Research that takes place primarily away from the UMB campus at other institution or research facilities is not eligible.

Citizenship

US Citizen or US permanent resident only. 

If you are a foreign national with visa status interested in the program, please contact the program coordinator (all other requirements above must apply).

 

If you have any specific questions about eligibility or about your specific circumstances, please submit your question through the Ask PRISM form.

Research Mentor

Applicants will identify a research mentor and work with the mentor to develop a research project prior to applying. Any faculty member of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) who holds at minimum an Assistant Professorship position and has suitable research support to mentor a medical student can be a PRISM research mentor. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with the Office of Student Research prior to and during the choice of a mentor. A listing of many faculty members and their research at the School of Medicine is available online via the UM SOM departmental websites and the Faculty Profiles website. Please also refer to the listing of faculty provided through the FRCT course and OSR that includes UMB faculty available to mentor students.

Research Project

Hypothesis-driven research project in basic, translational, clinical, and epidemiological or population science research in biomedical or health topics.

Project Location

In-person at University of Maryland, Baltimore campus.

Time and Duration

Summer Research - 9 weeks of full time commitment in summer 2024

At least 40 hours per week for 9 weeks in the summer after the end of spring semester and before the start of fall semester.

Students are expected to spend at least 85% of their committed time to conducting the approved research project and to participating in research education and development activities.  See Program Activities for information on Research Education and Development activities.


Standard 9-week research period for summer 2024 begins on May 28 and ends on July 26, 2024. If permitted by research mentor, student may take a few days off and make up missed days during the summer (after the spring semester and prior to the fall semester), provided that attendance requirements for summer programming are satisfied.  Some students may need to begin one or two week earlier or end later to make up for missed time due to other commitments.

Enrichment Programming - May 28 to July 26, 2024

See Program Activities for specific dates of required major events, general seminar schedule, and other information regarding enrichment programming events and activities.

Selection

Considerations will be made based on the quality of the proposed research, the strength of the research mentor, the strength of the applicant, and the quality and potential impact of the experience for the applicant.

Stipend

Varying stipend levels based on merit, funding availability, and number of positions, approximate range of $2,000 to $5,000.

Mentor contributions are encouraged and do not exclude the student's participation. Supplement stipend funding from external fellowships or scholarship awards will be considered on a case-by-case basis. PRISM program funding will be adjusted based on all other stipend funding received by the applicant.

See Mentor Contribution toward Stipends section and External Stipend Award section for details and examples.

Number of Positions

Traditionally approximately 30 to 40 positions based on available funding.

Mentor Contribution Toward Stipend

In addition to mentoring students, faculty mentors are welcome to provide mentor contribution toward their student's stipend. The program greatly appreciates the generosity of faculty mentors who are able to provide funding for a portion of their student's PRISM stipend. Mentor contributions allow the program to extend the reach of its limited funding to a greater number of students. If a research mentor is willing to contribute toward the student's stipend, he or she would indicate the committed amount on the Mentor Declaration Form during application and provide the administrative contact to coordinate student stipend payment.

Mentor contribution will not affect the total stipend amount the student will receive. The student's PRISM funding will be decreased by the amount of mentor contribution. The following is an example of how PRISM funding will be adjusted by mentor contribution.

  • An applicant is awarded PRISM stipend level of $2,500 based on the merit of the full application. The faculty mentor has agreed through the Mentor Declaration Form to contribute $1,000 toward the student's stipend. PRISM funding toward total stipends will be decreased by the $1,000 mentor contribution while the total stipend level remains at $2,500.

PRISM funding may be similarly adjusted by any external fellowships and scholarship awards. More information on External Stipend Awards section will be available.

Concurrent Fellowship

Many PRISM applicants will have applied to other fellowship and scholarship funding opportunities in addition to PRISM application. Students are strongly encouraged to accept the national fellowship and scholarship if awarded.

PRISM applicants must disclose to the program all stipend funding the applicant is awarded and those for which the applicant has applied and that are still pending. Concurrent acceptance of other funding award and PRISM award stipend will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Some fellowship and scholarships will not permit concurrent acceptance of another funding award.

PRISM funding will be adjusted in light of concurrent fellowship funding.  Applicants will not receive the full amount from both PRISM and the concurrent fellowship. 

See also Mentor Contribution Toward Stipends.


More Information

Program Activities

Application Process

PRISM Program Main