Summer Research Fellowships Empower Medical Students to Explore, Innovate, and Lead
More Than 100 Students Pursue Groundbreaking Research Projects Under the Mentorship of Nearly 20 Departments
Every summer, more than 100 second-year medical students engage in research fellowships, working under faculty mentorship to investigate diverse topics across a wide range of specialties for six weeks. This year was no different, as students contributed to numerous innovative research projects.
Students choose from a variety of research programs with faculty across nearly 20 departments, each recognized for a robust and structured approach to research. The fellowship equips students with foundational research skills, and many go on to present their findings to peers, with some ultimately publishing in medical journals.
Offerings for the fellowship grew this year, with Naitik Singh, SOM Class of 2027 and co-president of the Plastic Surgery Interest Group (PSIG), welcoming the first surgery program cohort this summer after seeing students interested in the various aspects of the surgery discipline, including plastic surgery and orthopedic surgery. With the help of Mary Petzke, Ph.D., associate dean for medical student research and associate professor of pathology, microbiology, and immunology; Gabriel Rodriguez, Ph.D., instructor of surgery; Elizabeth Drugge, Ph.D., M.P.H. '12, adjunct professor of pharmacology and associate professor of public health; and Sonali Sharma, SOM Class of 2027 and co-president of PSIG, and partnering with student clubs on campus, including the Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group, General Surgery Interest Group, and Vascular Surgery Interest Group, the program was created and accepted more than 35 students.
With 15 to 20 surgeons working on projects across the discipline, the students have researched ways to make robotic surgery more efficient, improve the accuracy of anatomical assessments in patients, enhance equity in the transplant process, and explore topics in artificial intelligence (AI).
“The feedback from students has been excellent—many have found projects that interest them,” said Singh. “From the faculty perspective, it has also been incredibly rewarding to work with such bright and standout students. For example, some students with strong coding backgrounds are applying AI and machine learning to surgical research, bringing skill sets that many surgeons might not otherwise have access to and expanding the boundaries of what we can study. Others with legal backgrounds are conducting ethics-based research, taking a closer, more incisive look at fundamental medical principles.”
The neuroscience program, co-directed by Fawaz Al-Mufti, M.D., associate professor of neurology, neurosurgery, and radiology, and associate chair of research in the Department of Neurology, and Jared Pisapia, M.D., associate professor of neurosurgery, surgery, and pediatrics, has expanded in recent years—broadening from its original focus on neurosurgery to include additional areas of neurology such as neuroradiology and radiation oncology. Its growth is reflected in its size, with nearly 40 students participating this year—the largest group yet. Students have contributed to a wide range of scholarly work, from case reports and review articles to large database population studies, covering topics from surgical approaches for brain disorders to medical treatments for neurological conditions. Once a week students review weekly goals, track progress, and address questions that may arise. They also attend a series of talks by various faculty members, providing exposure to different subspecialties within the field and, for at least one week, can rotate on different clinical services, both within neurosurgery, neurology, and other fields where they get early exposure to clinical neuroscience.
“I’m extremely proud of the students that we've had in the program,” said Dr. Pisapia. “It's always very rewarding for me to learn that a student has been positively impacted by the program. A former student I mentored who subsequently matched into residency felt that the summer program got him on a good path towards being productive in research. Other student graduates of the program have returned to mentor younger medical students or continued to work with their mentor after the program has ended, which is also fulfilling to hear.”
The obstetrics and gynecology program also welcomed its largest cohort of fellows this summer with 28 students. Program directors Bianca Stifani, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and Bruno Villazhiñay Matute, M.P.H. ’22, Dr.P.H. '25, instructor and senior administrator of obstetrics and gynecology, oversaw a wide range of student projects. Fellows could choose in-person experiences in clinics and hospitals or participate virtually if spending the summer outside New York. Projects included interviewing patients about their labor and delivery experiences, testing two different methods of educating patients about birth control in the family planning clinic, surveying patients about their experiences in a general gynecology clinic, analyzing online discussions of obstetrics and gynecology topics on platforms such as Reddit, and looking at patient outcomes related to cervical cancer and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
The obstetrics and gynecology program worked with students on submitting abstracts to the regional and national American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists conferences, with some already accepted to the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons conference and the NYMC Medical Student Research Forum. “The program not only provides our students with early exposure to the specialty, but also teaches them the research process, independent of the subject matter," said Dr. Stifani. "They gain an understanding of different methodologies and the steps required to conduct rigorous research, skills that will benefit their careers, even if they choose a different specialty.”
As the programs continue to expand, they provide students with early exposure, mentorship, and the tools to pursue rigorous, impactful research—laying the foundation for the next generation of physician-scientists. The fellowship programs continually adapt to the ever-growing medical landscape, integrating emerging technologies, evolving clinical practices, and novel research methodologies to ensure that students are equipped to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s medicine.
“Regardless of which specialty students ultimately pursue—whether in neuroscience or another field—the ability to critically interpret research papers, understand the basics of statistical analysis, and appreciate principles of trial design will make them stronger physicians. Even for those who may not include research as part of their future careers, these skills are indispensable for practicing evidence-based medicine and delivering the highest standard of patient care,” said Dr. Al-Mufti.
