Scholarships and Assistantships
I. Reid Collmann, M.D. Medical Student Educational Endowment
Background
Dr. I. Reid Collmann was a former Dean of the Graduate School of Medicine. To honor his years of leadership and service, the I. Reid Collmann, M.D. Medical Student Educational Endowment was established. The purpose of this endowment is to insure and enhance the quality of medical student education programs.
Dr. Collmann initiated the I. Reid Collmann, M.D. Medical Student Education Fund to give students an opportunity similar to his own student research experience. As a young medical student, Dr. Collmann quickly learned firsthand how research affects patient care. His wish of establishing this fund was built with hopes of empowering medical students with this same knowledge. The awareness of research’s impact on patient care is information that will build a solid foundation for the remainder of the student’s medical career.
Application and Assignment Process
Applications are accepted December 1, 2011 – February 28, 2012. Work assignments are given as soon as possible after the application deadline. Every effort is made to match the student with his or her interests with the corresponding researcher and laboratory. Space for this program is limited and preference is given to M1, M2 and premed students.
Applicants are encouraged to learn more about our research laboratories by visiting the research section of our Web site.
Requirements
Once awarded, the I. Reid Collmann, M.D. Medical Student Educational Endowment requires an eight week commitment from the student.
The student is compensated for his or her time in the research labs and is expected to complete the entire eight week commitment.
Each student will be evaluated mid-term on the basis of professionalism, eagerness to learn, and active engagement with the laboratory staff and researchers.
At the conclusion of the program, each participant is required to write a report describing their experiences during the eight week assistantship. Start dates are flexible and can run from mid-May to early August as long as eight consecutive weeks are served.
Application Process
Previous Collmann Student Experiences
Caroline Conley
Virginia Tech
Conley worked in the Shock Trauma and Nutrition Research Laboratory with Michael Karlstad, PhD, Chief of Surgical Research, looking at the interaction between the renin-angiotensin system in adipocytes and how it interacts with the insulin system. The objective was to show that glucose uptake is in fact affected by treatment with angiotensin IV and that the effect can be reversed by treatment with norleual. Conley said the research is important because insulin resistance causes a variety of chronic disorders including obesity and type II diabetes. As part of her research, Conley learned cell culture techniques and was responsible for all of the cell care for the 3T3-L1 adipocytes being used for the experiments. Conley said, "Because I was so new to participating in research, it was a very exciting eight weeks that opened my eyes to this world of truly learning through hands-on experience. I learned so much in these eight weeks and I'm sure it will aid me if I get accepted to medical school next year."
Nolan Irish
East Tennessee State University
Irish conducted research in the Vascular Research Laboratory under the guidance of Deidra Mountain, PhD, Scientific Director. He continued research performed by Josh Arnold, MD, Fellow of Vascular Surgery, in which the goal was to establish polymeric transfection as a feasible and clinically translatable method for gene therapy in the prevention of intimal hyperplasia in people who have had arterial grafts or balloon angioplasty. "The staff was knowledgeable, experienced and patient as I began this journey into the research arena," Irish said. "The staff ensured I had a thorough understanding of the study and superlative training on research techniques. Though the time I spent at the vascular lab was short, the impact to my career as a student and practicing physician has and will be significant," Nolan said.
Jerrin Nabers
University of Kentucky
Nabers worked in the Anesthesiology Research Laboratory under the direction of Roger Carroll, PhD, Director. She participated in a study in the pain clinic that was testing an impedance device to help assist doctors in giving their patients epidurals; studies already underway that involve using the TEG analyzer, a machine that measures the clotting factors, or lack of, in a patient's blood sample; and a chart review study that examined the hospital's protocol on handling patients that have a pacemaker. Nabers said that by participating in the program, she learned the importance of protocol in research, specifically in working with the Institutional Review Board to be sure standards of research are met. "Being part of the Collmann program has opened my eyes to the endless possibilities that research in medicine has to offer," Nabers said. "Whether it is trying to determine the side effects of a new treatment or ensuring hospital protocol is allowing patients to receive the best treatment, research is constantly changing the face of medicine."
Wissam Tobea
UT Health Science Center
Tobea conducted research in the Conformational Diseases and Therapeutics Research Laboratory under the direction of Valerie Berthelier, PhD, Director, to research how a protein has negative effects on type II diabetes. He said the goal of the research was to identify small molecules capable of modifying the toxic structure of early-forming misfolded proteins termed IAPP (Islet Amyloid Polypeptide). To accomplish this objective, Tobea participated in developing an in vitro screening assay that uses synthetic small IAPP aggregates and can screen around 2,000 small molecules per week. Tobea said, "The Collmann program helped shape my medical school experience in that I now have a good research foundation to build upon."
