American Heart Association, Western States Affiliate

                                                  Medical Student Research Program

                                                           Program Description

                                                                  2010 - 2011

The Medical Student Research Program provides eight, 10 or 12 week awards (continuous in time) to medical students to carry out cardiovascular-related research in a strong laboratory environment.  The objective is to provide medical students who are potentially interested in a research career with an opportunity to explore a research career that is broadly related to the cardiovascular area or stroke.

Research Focus

The research must be broadly related to cardiovascular function or disease; stroke; or to associated clinical, basic science and public health problems.  All basic disciplines as well as epidemiological, behavioral, community and clinical investigations that bear on cardiovascular and stroke problems are allowed.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be full-time medical students enrolled in an accredited medical school at the time of application.

Students may participate in the research program at any time during medical school except before the first summer.

• Applicants must propose a preceptor/project at any non-profit research institution within the Western States Affiliate (California, Nevada or Utah).

• Applicants must have a sponsor who is a doctorally prepared faculty member at the institution where the research is to be conducted and who has demonstrated success in the field of cardiovascular sciences.  Sponsorship limit: This was originally only one application per year per lab.  However, two applications may now be submitted IF, and ONLY if, the projects can be shown to be markedly different.  Any applications over and above two will not be accepted.

• Applicant must be a United States citizen or a foreign national holding a student, exchange or permanent resident visa, including an F-1, H1, H1B, J1, PR, TC or TN visa.
• Current or prior awardees may apply for a subsequent award.  However, they must submit a new proposal and describe in the application why they are re-applying.

Award Amount and Duration

The award period (eight, 10 or 12 weeks, continuous) can be any time between June 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011.  Applicants are to specify the duration and proposed project period at the time of application.  As stated in the instructions, under certain circumstances (institutional restrictions are the most common cause) it may be possible to conduct the research over non-continuous periods.  Both applicant and sponsor must address this, commenting on the reason for the non-continuity AND how the research will still be expected to make satisfactory progress.  The non-continuous periods must be in 4 week segments (2 or 6 if needed for the final segment).

Awardees will receive a stipend in the amount of $600/week.  The stipend will be paid directly to the student.  Awardees may not hold a comparable award simultaneously.

Program Requirements

Awardees are expected to engage in full-time research effort during the award period.  A technical progress report, summarizing the science completed, is to be submitted by the awardee at the end of the award period.  Awardees are also required to give an oral presentation of their research experience at a roundtable discussion meeting in August as scheduled by AHA staff.  The oral presentation serves as the capstone session for the program and, therefore, is a mandatory requirement for program completion.  Only in exceptional circumstances will this requirement be waived.   Awardees are also required to complete and submit a written program evaluation survey upon completion of the program.

Application, Selection and Notification Process

Applications must be received via email at the affiliate’s Burlingame office no later than 5:00 p.m. on December 3, 2009.     Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.  

A complete application consists of the application form, including the Sponsor’s Section, (the whole document submitted via email), the signed signature page (to arrive via postal mail, carrier or by hand – this may be POSTMARKED December 3) and a letter of reference which may arrive via email (signed) or as hard copy direct from the referee – also by the deadline date.

Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria.  (These criteria will be considered as a whole, and are not listed in order of importance.)

• Applicant qualifications and background

• Applicant’s commitment to research

• Research project

• Quality of the research environment and sponsor

Applications will be reviewed by the Student Research Committee in February, 2010.  Applicants will be notified of the results of the selection process by late February, 2010.

No work may commence until a completed Award Agreement is received at the affiliate’s Burlingame office.  Institutional Review Board certification will be required at the time of funding if biohazards or animal or human subjects will be used in the proposed research.

Stipend, Schedule of Payments and Taxes

Award recipients will receive a stipend of $600/week for the short-term research experience.  Stipends will be disbursed monthly.  The initial check(s) will be mailed monthly, at a time to be announced.  The final check will be mailed after a completed Final Progress Report and Program Evaluation Survey are received at the affiliate’s Burlingame office.

The award is for educational purposes and does not constitute an employee-employer relationship between the student and the American Heart Association.  No social security or income tax will be deducted from the stipend and a Form 1099 will be submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.  The student shall be responsible for paying all required taxes on the stipend.  The affiliate cannot give tax advice to awardees.

Notification of Changes

The student (applicants and awardees) must promptly notify the affiliate of any change of address or contact numbers (phone, fax, e-mail).  This will facilitate communication between the student and the affiliate, and will assure prompt receipt of stipend payments.