NC State Veterinary Scholars Program

VSP and T35 Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Training program website

Leadership Team

• Jody Gookin

FluoroScience Distinguished Professor

jody_gookin@ncsu.edu

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• Ronald Li

Associate Professor of Critical Care

rhli2@ncsu.edu

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• Sam Jones

Herbert Benjamin Distinguished Professor

sljones@ncsu.edu

Summer Research Programs for Veterinary Students

• Veterinary Scholars Program Research Internship for first- and second-year vet students
• CVM Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Training Program (NIH/IBRTP/T35)
• USDA Scholar Program
• Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Student Scholars Program
• AVMA/AVMF 2^nd Summer Research Fellowship
• Hitchings Award

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CVM Summer Research Program

• Sponsors
• Boehringer-Ingelheim
• College of Veterinary Medicine
• Veterinary Medical Foundation
• Fund for Discovery
• Herbert Benjamin Professorship Endowment
• Fluoroscience Professorship Endowment
• Deborah and Paul Resnick
• NIH, CMI, MANY faculty members

Goals

• Provide research experience to DVM students

VSP Program Summary

• MENTORED RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
• May 11^th - July 17^th, 2026
• Seminar Series
• Field trip

-NIEHS or EPA or Charles River or WFU

• Project presentations
• Boehringer-Ingelheim/NIH National Veterinary Scholars Symposium- Aug 7-9^th 2026 (tentative)
• Click here for the VSP website

Impact on Post-DVM Training

• Some (20%) go on to formal training

-PhD, DVM/PhD (7), Research Fellowships, MPH, etc

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• 60-75% of seniors that participated in our program in the last several years were selected for internships, about 25% enter residencies

Stipend and Hours

• Internship stipend ($6,500)
• Provides salary support over a 10-week period during the summer
• Your mentor is expected to fund the actual research project (supplies etc)
• Hours-this is not a 9-5 Mon-Fri job. Hours vary depending on the schedule of the research. You will average 40 hrs a week of required work.

Seminar Series

• Required seminar series in the principles of comparative biomedical research
• Experimental design, ethics, animal use issues, data analysis, critical reading, generating money for research
• Abstract preparation and project presentations
• Wednesdays 8-9 am
• Meetings with young investigators, faculty, etc also scheduled.

Field Trips

EPA

NIEHS

CVM Research Forum

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• CVM research
• Oral presentations
• Poster sessions
• Phi Zeta Speaker

Veterinary Scholars Symposium Aug 7-9th�

VSP Program Eligibility

• First or second year DVM students
• Second year students have priority especially if they applied in YR1 and did not get accepted
• No prior graduate (biomedical research) degree preferred
• Significant research experience may lower priority
• Not limited to NC State students
• NC State students eligible for programs at other schools
• Click Here for the National VSP Website

How to find a mentor and a project

• See the VSP WEBSITE for the list of Mentors and PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
• Meet with prospective mentors to discuss potential projects between now and January 20, 2026
• Decide on one or two and work with them to prepare your application- Due Feb 9, 2026

Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Training Program (T35)

• Mentored Summer Research Experience
• Prior research experience expected-opportunity for a 2^nd summer of research
• More advanced research experience, interdisciplinary
• 2 mentors in different disciplines
• One mentor must be an approved trainer in the IBRTP (see the list on the website)
• Same application as VSP
• Stipend approximately $6,800
• Click here for the T35/IBRTP website

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• Requirements
• 10 weeks mentored research
• Required to attend the Veterinary Scholars Symposium
• Principles of comparative biomedical research seminar series if you have not already attended- Additional seminars in team science
• Presentation at CVM research forum
• Eligibility-any first- or second-year vet student-NC State or other schools
• Start date May 11^th, 2026

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Application-VSP and T35

• Click on Application Form or go to the VSP/T35 website for the link
• Application:
• Submit one application using online form
• Indicate which program(s) you are applying to
• Select one or two potential primary mentors/projects-each proposed primary mentor must sign the form
• Co-mentor is optional for VSP but is required for the T35
• Deadline for Applications: February 9, 2026
• If you have problems with the application, please contact Shannon at cvm_vetscholars@ncsu.edu

USDA Scholars Program

• National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility �(NBAF), Boehringer Ingelheim and USDA ARS.
• Opportunity to do research on diseases that �could affect livestock and public health
• Mentored research at a USDA facility
• Stipend $9,000
• Applications due Nov 15, 2025
• Click here for information and to apply

Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Student Scholars Program

• Mentored research experience for veterinary students-may have already participated in a summer research program
• Typically a summer research project
• Stipend provided ($5,500)
• Limited to 2 applications per school
• Applications must be submitted to CVM Grants Office (Jeneal Leone) by our internal deadline for selection, generally in January
• Click here for the MAF Summer Scholars website

Hitchings Award

• Funding for DVM student research
• Must be mentored
• Favors proposals that are student ideas
• Stipend and/or Project support
• Funded by BWF and administered through the Triangle Community Foundation--$5,000 limit
• Second year of doctoral (DVM or PhD) study to be eligible
• Open to DVM/PhD students--$10,000 limit
• Applications are due typically March 1^st.
• Click here for program and application information

AVMA/AVMF 2^nd Opportunity Summer Research Fellowship

• Funding for a 2^nd summer of research
• Previously conducted a summer research project
• Continuance of prior research favored by not required
• Present results at the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium
• Cannot be enrolled in a PhD program
• Stipend $7,200
• Applications due October 31^st.
• Click here for program and application information

Boehringer-Ingelheim Veterinary Research Award

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Veterinary students who:

• Participated in the summer scholar program in the prior year
• Attended the Veterinary Scholars Symposium
• Presented their work in the form of a poster
• $1,500 honorarium, a plaque, a travel stipend to return to the summer symposium to present their project and receive the award
• Click here for the award website

Questions?