Research Overview
Medical student research is organized and supported by the UGA SOM Office of Research. Under the leadership and direction of Dr. Jonathan Murrow, a team of experienced researchers will help interested students navigate research opportunities both within and outside of UGA. In addition to meeting with students one-on-one, team members will help match students with research projects and faculty mentors that are best suited to accomplish individual student goals. Whether these goals are to gain a deeper understanding of the scientific process, to engage in meaningful discovery, to help fulfill competitive residency expectations, or to pursue a career as a physician scientist, the research team will help tailor research experiences to individual students as best as possible.
During the first semester of Year 1 and throughout the MD program, students will learn about research opportunities, including the Medical Scholars Program that occurs between Years 1 and 2. Interested students will have additional sessions dedicated to research skill development, funding support, and graphic design help with research presentations.
Medical Scholars Program
Students in good academic standing have the opportunity to spend 8-10 weeks during the summer between the first and second year of medical school working on research projects with established faculty investigators. Through their participation in research activities that include basic science, clinical, translational, or educational research, students learn how to frame a testable hypothesis, write a research proposal, carry out a project, evaluate scientific and medical data, and write up their results. Students have opportunities to communicate their findings through presentations at local, regional, and national scientific meetings.
Research Opportunities at UGA
A top 20 public university designated in the Carnegie Classification as a Highest Research Activity institution, UGA offers a wealth of opportunities for students to participate in research projects in a wide range of biomedical and health-related areas including:
- Basic biomedical research
- Bioinformatics and computational modeling of disease emergence and spread
- Regenerative Medicine
- Precision Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Health Policy and Health Services
- Behavioral Research
- Translational Research
- Drug Discovery
- Public Health
- Bioengineering
Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance
The Georgia Clinical and Translational Alliance (GA-CTSA) is an inter-institutional partnership between Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), and the University of Georgia (UGA) that concentrates basic, translational, and clinical research investigators, community clinicians, professional societies, and industry collaborators in dynamic clinical and translational research projects. Through the GA-CTSA, UGA SOM students can obtain a Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) and graduate with a combined MD/MSCR.