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Medical Student Research Opportunities

Medical Student Research Handbook Now Available!

The new Medical Student Research Handbook is a comprehensive guide & serves as your roadmap to research, featuring program overviews, expectations, and important guidelines to help you navigate and succeed in your medical research journey.

Access Our Student Handbook

LEADS-Research Track & Longitudinal Research Programs

Intensive mentored research projects that span your time as a BU medical student

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Medical Student Summer Research Program

Work full-time on mentored research projects during the summer between the first and second year of medical school

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3rd Year Research Selective

The M3 Research Selective allows third-year medical students to undertake four weeks of full-time in person research under the direction of a mentor.

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4th Year Research Elective

The M4 Research Elective allows fourth-year medical students to undertake 4, 8, or 12 weeks of research under the direction of a mentor.

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Research Year & Half Year Programs

Opportunity to undertake one semester or a full year of research as part of your medical education

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Vivikta Rao, MD/PhD Candidate Awarded at Evans Day

Congratulations to Vivikta Rao, MD/PhD Candidate, Class of 2030, on receiving the Oral Abstract Presentation Award at Boston University's Department of Medicine Evans Day!

Vivikta was recognized for her research, “APOL1 Risk Variants: A Causal Driver and Therapeutic Target in Preeclampsia,” conducted in the Wei Lab within the Division of Nephrology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Research Symposium - Abstract Submission Form

Medical Student Research Symposium: Friday, January 29, 2027, 12–3 PM at Hiebert.

Submit posters and abstracts for short-talk consideration November 1–December 1, 2026. Decisions will be announced by December 11, 2026.

Submit Here

Mentor Spotlight

Chad William Farris, MD, PhD, is Co-Director of the Center for Translational Neuroimaging and Co-Lead of Neuroimaging for the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

Learn more about Dr. Farris Research and Mentorship

Find a Mentor

How to identify a mentor at the BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and resources available to BU medical students

Become a Mentor

Resources available for faculty looking to recruit medical students to join their research teams

Research Opportunities

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More about Medical Student Research

Calendar

9 Nov Beyond Animal Models: The Future of Biomedical Research with Organoids Symposium
10 Nov RPN Workshop: Improving IRB Submissions
13 Nov 2026 Genome Science Institute 18th Annual Research Symposium
16 Nov Faculty-Student Research Lunch Sessions
1 Dec Guidance on the NIH Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy and Data Repository Navigation (Hybrid)

Let Us Know

Was your research accepted for publication? Are you presenting at a conference? Are you working on something special at the medical school that we should know about? Tell us about it in the form below.

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Boston University Medical Student Research

There are numerous opportunities for medical students to engage in mentored research projects at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. We are here to help connect you to these resources.

Medical Student Research Opportunities

Vivikta Rao, MD/PhD Candidate Awarded at Evans Day

Research Opportunities