Preview the Questions
Click here to preview the questions from the application!
We encourage you to use this template to prepare your materials, and then you can copy/paste into the official application later.
Submit Your Research Experience
Use this document to submit your research experience with your application!Please fill this template out and upload into the application where directed.
SUMR Program Features
- May 26, 2026–July 31, 2026
- 10-week research project conducted in the laboratory of a faculty member in the biomedical sciences (including basic, translational, population health, and engineering sciences)
- Case-based learning exercises: discussions emphasizing how science and medicine intersect and how pathophysiological and pharmacological mechanisms occur
- Clinical skills learning sessions: practical applications from case-based learning, including physical examination skills practice that will be useful in medical school with mentorship from current MD/PhD students, and clinical table rounds
- Career development seminars
- Application Preparation
- Is the MD/PhD Right for Me?
- MD/PhD and Graduate School Admissions Panels
- How to write a Personal Statement
- MD/PhD Current Student Panel
- One-on-one physician advising and shadowing experiences
- Social and mentoring activities with MD/PhD students and faculty members to learn more about their academic and career paths
- One-on-one advising meetings with MD/PhD Administrator
- Mock interviews
- Poster presentation at the Summer Undergraduate Research Conference with other undergraduates on campus (usually the last Wednesday in July)
Application Requirements
Previous research experience of at least one summer rotation or a semester of work in a research laboratory is required. Labs for bioscience courses or other courses do not meet this requirement, unless these include independent research projects (e.g., a thesis project).
- A completed online application form
- Descriptions of up to three research experiences (downloadable template above)
- A Curriculum Vitae
- (downloadable example here: Curriculum Vitae Example)
- Transcript(s) from undergraduate institution(s)
- Unofficial ones you can easily convert to pdf are preferable
- Letters of Recommendation (up to 3)
- Your application must include at least two letters, but no more than three.
- At least one letter must come from your primary research mentor.
- The second letter should come from someone who has worked with you personally or academically (course instructors, academic advisors, or previous employers, volunteer supervisors, etc.).
Eligibility
- Be a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States
- Be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior (your earliest anticipated graduation should not be before December 2026)
- Major in a STEM field or premed
- Prior research experience is required (see above)
- We welcome MARC U*STAR or U-RISE students looking for a summer away rotation
Support
- $4,275 for the 10-week period
- Lodging in a University housing facility (double occupancy)
- Travel allowance for transportation to/from Iowa City
- Catered lunchs twice a week during sessions
- Some meal tickets to use in campus dining hall
FAQs
- How are mentors chosen?
- By looking at your stated research interests, we will reach out to faculty working in that area to see if any are available for mentoring a SUMR student. We will keep you updated about potential research options.
- If a particular mentor is mentioned in your application, we will reach out to that faculty member to see if they are available for mentoring.
- We often pair participants open to any experience with those faculty who are excellent mentors with a long history with the SUMR program.
Have a question?
If you have any questions at all, please send them to MSTP@uiowa.edu