As a hub for STEM education, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) doesn’t just help produce the next generation of scientists. We also provide a research platform for young medical students. The Summer Research Internship for Medical Students (SRIMS) program at CSHL gives future doctors a taste for lab research.
The internship program is open to second-year medical students in the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Students experience working in the lab and learn skills needed for clinical research. They also attend educational workshops and seminars.
“Some students come in with no prior research experience,” says Program Director Priya Sridevi. “They go back with a rich and rewarding experience, and some later return to CSHL to continue their research.”
More than 20 interns have passed through SRIMS since its launch in 2016. Each gets matched to a CSHL lab of their choice, where they spend eight to 10 weeks.
“I had the opportunity to meet mentors in science and medicine and work on projects with translational potential,” says Nandan Vithlani. A 2023 SRIMS student, Vithlani spent his summer interning in the Tuveson lab. “As someone who hopes to complement my future practice with research on cancer, this experience has helped me understand how laboratory models can be used to answer clinically relevant questions.”
Written by: Luis Sandoval, Communications Specialist | sandova@cshl.edu | 516-367-6826