History
The Vivien Thomas Summer Research Program (VTRSP) of Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is a six week program established in 2002 to recruit high school students to serve as apprentices in biomedical research laboratories. Students are mentored by an MSM research faculty and they conduct research by learning the content, process, and methodology involved in inquiry science. This immersion into authentic biomedical research coupled with being mentored by research faculty dramatically increases the transfer of knowledge, skills, and application of science.

Since its inception, 165 students have participated and successfully completed the program. Mentors have come from the following departments: Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Anatomy & Neurobiology.

Goal and Objectives
The primary goal of the VTSRP is to increase the number of minority students interested in pursuing a career in the biomedical sciences. The major objectives are to:

• involve students in a mentoring relationship with active MSM faculty researchers
• increase career interest in biomedical research
• provide high school students with biomedical research experiences in preparation to present findings to peers and professionals
• provide practical training in current research techniques and give students the skills, connections, and opportunities to be a part of the research community
• enhance the skills of high school students in hands-on research by providing current, cutting-edge information and knowledge
• develop skills necessary to formulate research questions, and hypotheses, develop theories, design experiments, gather, organize and analyze data, draw conclusions and present findings in several formats.

The long-term goal is to increase the number of underrepresented minorities entering primary care medicine, biomedical research, and allied health careers.

Program Information
Students conduct research for six weeks under the direction of a medical school faculty member and learn the content, process, and methodology involved in inquiry science. The program culminates with the students presenting their research findings to the faculty and staff at MSM. The interaction with scientific role models to learn the content, process and methodology involved in inquiry science can result in increased student motivation and positive attitudes toward learning science.

Eligibility

• Interest in Biomedical Research
• 3.5 overall GPA
• Completed application
• Report Card
• Summary of Journal Article from Scientific American
• Medical Information Consent Form
• Letters of Recommendations

Program Activities
The goal of the Vivien Thomas Summer Research Program is to increase the number of minority students interested in pursuing a career in the biomedical sciences by exposing them to biomedical research in an authentic laboratory setting. The program is designed to access current on going research at MSM and provide a supportive environment to nurture an interest in scientific experimentation. The six-week (6) program is organized for students to have a concentrated research experience for two consecutive years.

The students participating in the program receive a broad overview of the diversity that exists in research, develop skills in various laboratory techniques, learn to demonstrate procedures in a research area of interest, conduct hands-on research experiments, and acquire computer skills in research presentation.

Contact
For more information, please contact: (404) 752-1843.

Quick Links

Vivien Thomas Research Program Online Application

Vivien Thomas Biography