Research, Innovation & Scholarly Endeavors (RISE)

Summer Scholarly Award Experience

The Summer Scholarly Award Experience consists of a full-time scholarly opportunity during the break between the MSI and MSII year for Core students who are in good academic and professional standing and progressing to the MSII year. The intent of the anticipated award is to assist with living expenses as well as costs related to presenting and publishing the funded summer project. Should medical students accept funding from RISE, they may not accept/receive any other funding from an alternative source even if it is for a different project.                                                           

It is important with all proposed projects that minimizing personal risk of COVID-19 exposure remains a priority. In designing the project, reasonable safeguards will need to be in place to minimize risk of contracting COVID-19.

The student must present a well-defined scholarly project proposal in order to be competitive for funding. Some student project proposals may be of an original design while others may stem from grants initiated by their mentors. Whereas most projects are of an individual effort, some may be group projects. Separate proposals must be submitted by each member of a group project. In all cases, either individual or group, the student must clarify their specific role in the project.

The student must be in good academic standing and progressing to the 2nd year to receive this award. The allocation of this award is based on a competitive application process emphasizing individual student scholarship, project feasibility and potential for longitudinal development and impact.

At the end of the summer scholarly award experience, the faculty mentor is expected to assist the student in preparing and/or finalizing an abstract based on the summer scholarly project.


  • Academic Standing

    Any changes to the student’s status (including illness/injury, academic issues, and professionalism issues) after the awarding of a summer scholarly award will be re-assessed and acted upon. Students are required to inform RISE, SCP Faculty Leaders (if applicable) and Project Mentors if they cannot fulfill the obligations of their scholarly projects due to academic remediation issues. Summer awards are subject to review with possible pro-rating of the summer award amount or withdrawal of the award based on the student’s status.

  • Evaluative Criteria

    Scholarly project proposals are to be submitted electronically and are reviewed by the RISE Project Review Committee. Projects submitted will be assessed based on the following evaluative criteria:

    1. Professionalism and clarity of the application.
    2. Formulation of a clear scholarly question.
    3. Significance of this scholarly question to the field.
    4. Description and understanding of the methodologies involved.
    5. Feasibility of the scholarly project.
    6. Expectation that the results of the scholarly project will result in an abstract/publication.
    7. Benefit of the project to the student’s scholarly growth.

  • Summer Scholarly Award Application

    The student must present a well-defined scholarly project proposal in order to be considered for funding. Some student project proposals may be of an original design while others may stem from grants initiated by their mentors. Whereas most projects are of an individual effort, some may be group projects. Separate proposals must be submitted by each member of a group project. In all cases, either individual or group, the student must clarify their specific role in the project. A link to the application platform will be shared with students via email in January.

    The student is to write a narrative for their project that includes the following:
    • Project title
    • Abstract/Synopsis
    • Hypothesis, primary and secondary objectives or specific aims of the proposed project
    • Significance and background of the proposed project including literature support (can utilize the PI’s basic project design but it must be acknowledged and articulated by the student)
    • What methods will be used to accomplish this project?
    • What milestones will be achieved this summer?
    • How will these specific milestones contribute to the completion of the overall project?
    • Include the time-line for the whole project. Include travel dates if applicable as well as how long the student will be at the international location.
    • What part (if any) of the project will continue beyond the summer?
    • List of references

    Letter(s) of support from the Project Mentor(s) is required.

      Scholarly projects involving human subject research conducted outside of USF require IRB approval from both institutions.

      When performing or presenting research outside of the US, medical students must comply with the rules and regulations as documented on the Medicine International website. Be sure to allow enough time and make sure you are aware of all required documentation prior to embarking.

      Expectations for this summer program for both the students and mentors will be conveyed via email along with an assessment component for the mentor. It is assumed that the students will be working longer than the funded time on the project.

    • Student Responsibilities for

      Summer Scholarly Award Experience

      This is a Core medical student summer scholarly award experience with the intent of assisting with living expenses as well as costs related to presenting the summer project. Should medical students accept funding from RISE, they may not accept/receive any other funding from an alternative source even if it is for a different project.

      EXPECTATION OF FUNDING:

      • Submit a complete protocol including ethical and necessary permissions       
      • Be in good academic standing and progressing to the MSII year ·       
      • Fulfill all USF HR requirements for disbursement of award ·       
      • Receive approval if applicable, from USF IRB/IACUC by start of experienc·       
      • Complete all reporting requirements throughout the SSAE ·       
      • Submit abstract based on funded project ·       
      • Present at Research Day (if applicable) - Can defer to Year 3 or 4 if data not ready

        *END OF SUMMER PROJECT RECAP is a reflective commentary (1000-1500 words) about the funded summer work. It should include how far the student progressed in terms of summer expectations and what more will be done regarding the project looking forward. Pictures are most welcome.

      • Mentor Responsibilities for

        Summer Scholarly Award Experience

        Mentors are to:

        • Ensure reasonable safeguards are in place to minimize the medical students’ risk of contracting COVID-19
        • Provide within letter of support the mitigation plans if COVID-19 pandemic impacts the proposed project including student involvement
        • Review the ethical (IRB/IACUC) and necessary permissions needed when doing patient outcomes or lab-based research
        • Guide the development of the scholarly or capstone project
        • Meet at minimum once per week with the mentee to discuss the progress of their scholarly project.
        • Help students to learn written documentation and oral presentation skills
        • Complete an End of Summer Scholarly Award Experience assessment 
        • Assist the student in preparing and/or finalizing an abstract based on their summer scholarly project

        Future expectations would be to assist the medical student with presentations for the Annual Student Symposium, USF Health Research Day, and local and national meetings.

      • Expected Outcomes for

        Summer Scholarly Award Experience

        1. Submission of an abstract based on the summer scholarly project.
        2. Due prior to the start of the Year 2, the End of Summer Project Recap is a reflective and summative commentary about the funded summer work.  It should include how far the student progressed in terms of summer expectations and what more will be done regarding the project looking forward.
        3. Presentation of project at USF Health Research Day