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Important Information
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 15th (11:59 PM EST)
ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATION: February 28th (Tentative)
PROGRAM DATES: See Program Website
Contact: Heritage College Office of Research and Grants
Review the information below carefully prior to applying for the RSAF program.
Summary of Program
Since 1978, the Heritage College has sponsored a program to provide summer research experiences for medical students. The Research and Scholarly Advancement Fellowship (RSAF) program seeks to match medical students who have successfully completed their first year of the Heritage College curriculum with research-active mentors who can supervise a meaningful experience in research or scholarly activity.
Under the guidance of the mentor, students conduct intensive short-term (10-week) research projects in selected areas of biomedical/basic science, social-behavioral medicine, primary care, medical education, or clinical investigation. Students will participate in a core curriculum consisting of seminars on a broad array of research-related topics. They will complete an oral presentation and/or present a poster describing their research during the last week of the summer program. The fellowship pays $3,000 to assist students with living expenses over the 10-week program.
Upon successful completion of the fellowship program, students will receive one hour of academic credit. There will be no tuition cost to the students for participation in the program, and the program will be graded on a pass/fail basis.
Objectives
The objectives of the RSAF program are to provide a valuable experience for highly motivated and talented medical students to participate in a defined research project; to acquaint students with scientific methodology; to enhance their analytic and research skills; and to provide an opportunity to improve their presentation and writing skills. The program provides foundational skills for future physicians to use scientific evidence as a basis in their clinical decision making and to consider the possibility of pursuing research as physician-scientists dedicated to enhancing healthcare.
Eligibility
All Heritage College students who are currently enrolled as first-year students in the Heritage College during spring semester immediately preceding the RSAF program (e.g., spring semester 2025 for Summer 2025 RSAF program) are invited to apply for the RSAF program. Students must be in good academic and professional standing, with no Code of Professional Standards violations on record, from the time of application through the conclusion of the RSAF program. Heritage College Office of Medical Education and others may be contacted to evaluate the student’s suitability to participate in this experience prior to the conclusion of the proposal review process and periodically through the end of the RSAF program.
Criteria for Serving as an RSAF Mentor
RSAF mentors must hold an affiliation with Ohio University, hold a terminal or earned doctoral degree, and have expertise in the field in which they are planning to mentor the student demonstrated through recent (within the last three years) peer-reviewed publications, extramural funding, additional training, and/or recent student or post-doctoral researcher mentorship roles. Potential RSAF mentors who do not currently hold an affiliation with the Heritage College must apply for and be granted adjunct clinical faculty status with the Heritage College prior to serving as an RSAF mentor. Additional information can be found on the Heritage College Clinical Education website . Applications with mentors not meeting these criteria will not be considered for RSAF funding.
Identifying a Faculty Mentor
Students are responsible for identifying their own mentor and are encouraged to directly approach Heritage College faculty members, including adjunct clinical faculty, members of Heritage College affiliates (e.g., the Cleveland Clinic systems, Kettering Health Network, Nationwide Children’s Hospital), or Ohio University faculty members (outside the Heritage College), including members of one of the four Heritage College institutes ( Diabetes Institute , Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute , Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute , or Edison Biotechnology Institute (EBI) ) or an Ohio University institute such as The Institute to Advance Health Equity (ADVANCE) whose research may be of interest to them. Students are also encouraged to visit the Office of Research and Grants Internal Research Opportunities webpage for information on many available research opportunities with Heritage College faculty and members of Heritage College institutes.
Awards
A faculty committee will review the proposals and make funding recommendations to the RSAF program director. Fellowships are awarded for a period of ten weeks during the summer between the first and second year of OMS training. The fellowship award is $3,000, distributed to the student’s account by the Ohio University Bursar’s Office. Typical disbursement date is on/around May 31st but is subject to change. The fellowship awards are for the student's use only. Students may apply for a Medical Student Seed Funding to assist with project related expenses. Fellowship awards are contingent upon the student’s spring enrollment status and successful completion of the Year 1 medical school curriculum by the end of spring semester immediately preceding the RSAF program (e.g., spring semester 2025 for Summer 2025 RSAF program).
Research Compliance
Fellows are expected to conduct research according to the highest scientific and ethical standards and in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies regarding protection of human research subjects, humane care and use of laboratory animals, and laboratory safety. Students must also ensure that they are in compliance with all Ohio University and Heritage College research policies at all times.
It is the responsibility of the mentor to obtain appropriate Ohio University and research site (if applicable) approval for research involving human subjects and/or protected health information (IRB), animals (IACUC), and/or biohazards prior to the start of the proposed research. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all Ohio University and Heritage College research policies and procedures, including proper research deferral processes (if applicable) and registration of the research project in the Student Portal in Salesforce , are followed. Additionally, proof of IRB and/or IACUC approval must be provided to the Office of Research and Grants before the start of the research. Fellowship payments will only be awarded after documentation of research compliance approval is provided, and the research project is registered in the Student Portal. Students who fail to complete all requirements prior to the start of the RSAF program will be removed from the program and will forfeit the fellowship award.
Time Commitment
Due to the short timeframe of the RSAF program, it is the expectation that students will be actively engaged and involved in working on their project for the duration of the RSAF program. Additionally, students participating in the RSAF program are not permitted to commit to other employment, programs, or projects outside the RSAF program for the duration of the program. Participating students will work directly with their mentors to determine their actual daily/weekly schedule.
Dissemination of Research
During the last week of the summer program, it is mandatorythat all students participating in the RSAF program attend (in person) and present their work as part of the annual summer research symposium or other event as identified by the RSAF program director. This event will be held in person, on the Athens campus. Failure to complete this requirement by the assigned date may result in a failing grade for the RSAF program.
Proposal Guidelines
General Information
- These guidelines supersede previous versions.
- Proposals must be written and submitted by the student, in consultation and collaboration with the mentor using the RSAF Project Information Form . Proposals submitted without the written consent/support of the mentor will not be considered for funding.
- More than one student may apply to work with the same mentor; however, proposals should be written independent of one another and should include the specific role of the student in the overall project.
- Proposals must include all components listed below. Incomplete proposals or those that do not follow the guidelines outlined below will be withdrawn from consideration.
- Proposals mustbe submitted as a PDF document.
- Proposals mustbe submitted via the online application portal by the deadline.
- Questions concerning the proposal preparation process should be directed to TraineeResearch@ohio.edu .
Evaluation Criteria
Quality of the Research Experience
Research projects should be well planned and should be structured. A student should be carrying out much of the work. A project requiring over two weeks of reading or library research is typically not appropriate for this program.
Quality of the Proposal
The proposal should include all components outlined in the RSAF Project Information Form .
Mentor
RSAF mentors must hold an affiliation with Ohio University, hold a terminal or earned doctoral degree, and have expertise in the field in which they are planning to mentor the student demonstrated through recent (within the last three years) peer-reviewed publications, extramural funding, additional training, and/or recent student or post-doctoral researcher mentorship roles.
Proposal Submission
Proposals must include the following:
- RSAF Project Information Form (4-page limit): Complete, sign, and submit the Project Information Form .
- Current CV or NIH Biosketch for both the student and mentor.
- Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF document via the online application portal and must be received no later than 11:59 PM EST on the deadline date.