Thursday, February 2, 2023

2023 Summer Undergrad Fellowship SUNY Upstate

The State University of New York Upstate Medical University, College of Graduate Studies is offering fellowships for its 2023 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program. The aim of the SURF program is to expose undergraduate students to biomedical research. In an intensive ten-week summer program, undergraduates with appropriate faculty help will formulate their own proposal, carry out research under the supervision of one of our faculty, write a research paper and have the opportunity to see their work published. In the process, students will attend research seminars, present and participate in a student journal club, present their work, and participate in discussions on alternative careers in research and how to apply to graduate school. Students are given ample opportunities to interact directly with many of our faculty and graduate students.

There is also a special pathway (SURF-PS) and admissions option for SURF fellows interested in a career path of a physician-scientist.   This initiative is aimed at exposing undergraduates, specifically students from backgrounds under-represented in science and healthcare.  Prospective fellows will apply alongside traditional SURF students. Accepted fellows will be exposed to basic and translational science alongside both a PI and a current MD/PhD student mentor that is in the PhD portion of training. Fellows will have the opportunity to fulfill clinical curiosity in weekly rounds with a MD/PhD clinical faculty. The remaining requirements and events are the same as their fellow SURF peers.


The program runs from Monday, June 5, 2023, through Friday, August 11, 2023.

Each fellow will be provided a $3,500 stipend for the period plus housing.

Applicants to the program should be undergraduate students in good academic standing, who will be between their junior and senior years during the summer of 2023, and are majors in chemistry, biology, or a related field. Applicants must have a strong interest in pursuing a Ph.D. degree in biomedical research.

The main criteria for the selection of fellows will be personal scholarship, academic excellence, and the match of applicant interests with those of participating SUNY Upstate Medical University biomedical faculty members. International students who currently have a J-1 or F-1 visa, and who are already attending school in the United States, are eligible to apply. 

Application deadline is February 28, 2023.