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Merck-Merial Veterinary Scholars Program (MMVSP)


The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM) calls for applications to the Summer Veterinary Student Research Program (SVSRP) from veterinary students in their first or second year of training with an interest in a research career. The SVSRP is sponsored by both the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) at the National Institutes of Health and the Merck-Merial Veterinary Scholars Program (MMVSP). For the summer of 2008 we have ten total awards to offer. We encourage minority students and those at veterinary schools other than VMRCVM to apply.

 
Announcement

The application deadline for the MMVSP is midnight on Monday, February 11, 2008.

 
Objective

Dr. Meng in the labThe objective of the Merck-Merial Veterinary Scholar Program (MMVSP) is to encourage veterinary students to choose a biomedical research career and to pursue post-graduate research opportunities. Veterinarians with their unique perspective are so much in demand in research careers that VMRCVM obtained sponsorship from the NIH and Merck-Merial Foundation (MMF). To achieve our objective we have identified six key success factors:

  • Close interaction of high-quality students who show an interest in a research career path with enthusiastic, competent scientists as mentors;
  • Educational activities that support a fundamental learning experience in biomedical research;
  • Exposure to veterinarians who have chosen to pursue a biomedical research career;
  • Strong follow-up program ensuring research options for program alumni;
  • Creation of a well-connected cohort of students in the second and third year class who share an interest in a research career path; and
  • Continued improvement year-to-year through feedback gained from an assessment program.

 
Program Description

LabIn Fall 2006, the VMRCVM received funding for a T35 award from the NCRR for a Summer Veterinary Student Research Program (SVSRP) though we have been running a summer research program for veterinary students for ten years. An award from the Merck-Merial Foundation (MMF) means that ten veterinary students (six trainees funded by the NCRR and four by the MMF) will go through the same summer program in 2008. As a result of the many group experiences, this will create a supportive group within the second and third year DVM classes interested in pursuing a biomedical research career. Another recent award from NIH to support post-DVM animal model research for veterinarians (AMRV) provides three years of funding to graduate veterinarians who may have gone through the SVSRP (or similar programs at other veterinary medical colleges) so they may start their research careers.

Our program in 2008 will extend over a period of eleven weeks starting on May 18 (see timeline), including one week of orientation on research methods, nine weeks of mentor-guided summer research, and a week for a visit to various agencies in Washington, DC as well as the capstone presentation of summer research findings at the Merck-Merial Summer Research Symposium. This training also includes a weekly seminar on either the ethical conduct of research or careers for veterinarians in research.

The proposed MMVSP and the NCRR-supported T35 program will have one primary difference: The MMVSP scholars will be able to work with additional mentors who either have extensive experience successfully training summer students or who recently joined VMRCVM but who were not part of the NCRR proposal, providing a greater choice for their summer research project. Trainees will know which program is funding their summer research so they may note the proper source of their award in their curriculum vitas and provide any communication to their funding agency as may be appropriate.

 
Funding

Awards will provide Merck-Merial Veterinary Scholars with a stipend which will be provided on May 31st, June 16th, June 30st, July 16th, July 31st and August 16th by direct deposit to the bank account that you provide. Travel, lodging and food for the DC visit and symposium will be reimbursed.

 
Contact

For additional information about this program or assistance with the application process, please send email to T35svsrp@vt.edu or call Becky Jones at 540-231-4992.