Summer Scholars Research Program
Boost your research skills, stand out among the competition, and gain insider knowledge during the summer before you start your DVM program. Connect with peers to explore new opportunities and build meaningful relationships for the future.
About The Program
For questions about our VSSRP, please contact our Assistant Dean for Research, Dr. Samarpita Sengupta.
The Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program, Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), and the American Pet Products Association (APPA) partially fund the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Summer Scholars Research Program.
Our Mentors
Distinguished faculty mentors provide varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, enabling deeper connections rooted in lived experience that foster an engaged, supportive community for our students. In collaboration with their laboratory teams, mentors provide our students with invaluable first-hand knowledge and experience as they help guide them through meaningful research projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Participating in the Veterinary Summer Scholars Research Program offers numerous benefits.
- Incoming DVM students receive mentored intensive hands-on research experience and a competitive stipend and travel allowance.
- Participating students have unique opportunities to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Team-based learning allows students to get comfortable with the DVM curriculum, and early start allows adjustment to Tucson.
- Sense of connection and belonging fostered before the beginning of the DVM curriculum.
Our Veterinary Summer Scholars Research Program is open to incoming first-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students. All interested candidates should submit their application for the program by the designated deadline for their respective matriculation year. To begin the application process, click the link below.
Applications for the Veterinary Summer Scholars Research Program open at the beginning of each year and typically close mid-April.
When completing the application, students will indicate their top three preferred mentors. After the application period closes, participants will be matched with a mentor whose preferences are closest to theirs and notified of their pairing by early May at the latest.
You don't need any research experience. Laboratory work and didactics will provide students with enough opportunities to learn about research and how to conduct it.
In addition, students with extensive research experience have also found the program helpful in extending their skills and learning more about team-based learning.
Students with and without previous research experience are highly encouraged to apply.
No. The program is designed for in-person attendance and cannot accommodate remote work. However, a stipend is included to help cover the cost of living expenses, such as housing and parking, over the summer.
Before starting the VSSRP, students must move to Tucson and find housing. All participants will be required to register for a one-credit course. After matching, students should contact their mentors to start any necessary training to set up in the laboratory, such as basic laboratory safety and human research regulations.
The Veterinary Summer Scholars Research Program is a hands-on educational opportunity for the summer before matriculation in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine. Students should generally expect the following during their experience:
- Students are expected to spend 40 hours per week on work in total, including time in labs and didactics.
- Students are expected to complete pre-work in a timely manner and contribute to the in-class team activity.
- Students are encouraged to participate in team-building events and social events.
- Students are expected to present their work at the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium and the CVM Research Day. Students are also encouraged to take advantage of other presentation opportunities, such as the U of A UROC (Undergraduate Research Opportunity Conference) symposium.