Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
2621 MORGAN CIR
KNOXVILLE,TN 37996-4540
Performing Department
Biomedical & Diagnostic Sciences
Non Technical Summary
TheMerial Veterinary Scholar Program (MVSP) summer research experience at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) will provide an opportunity for veterinary students to explore careers in research through participation in a hypothesis-driven project and group training activities. The program will provide students considering a career in biomedical research with sufficient exposure to the research environment to facilitate their decision and advance their interests. The specific objectives of the program are for students to receive hands-on research experience, develop an understanding of research careers and opportunities, develop a basic understanding of the scientific method and research design, develop skills in one or more research techniques, obtain experience creating and delivering a research presentation, learn about ethical issues involved in research, receive an introduction to the responsible conduct of research and develop camaraderie with other student researchers. Typically, the program ranges between 20 and 26 student participants. Typically, our clinical faculty team with research faculty on projects that employ state-of-the-art research approaches to explore clinically relevant issues. To ensure that each student's experience is meaningful their mentor will provide a project with a testable hypothesis. Merial funded students will participate in group training with students supported by all other funding sources. Prior to beginning their research students will attend a presentation conducted by a certified occupational health nurse covering occupational health and safety, be screened to identify potential health issues, and become enrolled in the occupational health program. No students will be excluded from the program based on health issues but they will be offered alternative projects if they are at risk due to preexisting conditions. All students will receive biological safety training in a class conducted by certified specialists. Students will attend weekly sessions covering important research topics. The history of animal use regulations and details about the approval process and researcher responsibility with be presented by the chair of the university IACUC. A speaker from the UT Research Foundation will discuss intellectual property and entrepreneurship. Additional talks will be presented by our faculty and administrators and cover research ethics and honesty, careers in research, best practices for laboratory record keeping, experiment planning and design, effective use of library resources, statistical analysis, manuscript preparation, development of PowerPoint presentations, and techniques for effective public speaking. Students will attend a two day, on campus, research symposium sponsored by the Comparative and Experimental Medicine Graduate and Public Health programs. The symposium, held mid-June, currently in its seventh year, will feature research presentations, a research career themed workshop, and keynote speaker. Students will also participate in a field trip to the Knoxville Zoo with a guided tour conducted by the zoo veterinarian. They will visit animal exhibits and tour the zoo's veterinary clinic. A cookout will be held early in the summer to foster camaraderie and ice cream socials will be held throughout the summer to provide opportunities for social interaction. The students' research experience will include a presentation of their work to peers, mentors, faculty and staff in a symposium setting at the UTCVM. All Merial student participants will present their research at the Merial-NIH symposium. The summer experience is intended to provide research exposure to students through engagement in a meaningful project. Students will be challenged but also receive the training they need to gain confidence in their ability to test ahypotheses in a biomedical environment, interact with peers and mentors, and present their work in written and oral formats. The particular scientific skills acquired by individual students will vary depending upon their project and mentor but these may include PCR, sequence analysis, cell culture, virus propagation, field collections, serological tests including ELISA and western blots and model development. Acquisition of particular skills desired by the students will be accommodated whenever possible. Students will be encouraged to attend clinical rounds and grand rounds at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine to correlate their research training with clinical applications. Merial $5,000; 5/1/14 to 9/1/14
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
TheMerial Veterinary Scholar Program (MVSP) summer research experience at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) will provide an opportunity for veterinary students to explore careers in research through participation in a hypothesis-driven project and group training activities. The program will provide students considering a career in biomedical research with sufficient exposure to the research environment to facilitate their decision and advance their interests. The specific objectives of the program are for students to receive hands-on research experience, develop an understanding of research careers and opportunities, develop a basic understanding of the scientific method and research design, develop skills in one or more research techniques, obtain experience creating and delivering a research presentation, learn about ethical issues involved in research, receive an introduction to the responsible conduct of research and develop camaraderie with other student researchers.
Project Methods
First and second year veterinary students in good standing from an AVMA-accredited school of veterinary medicine will be eligible to apply.Criteria used to select students will be class rank (where available) and a statement of interest. Preference will be given to students without previous post-baccalaureate research training. Faculty mentors will be selected from all of the major disciplines within the College of Veterinary Medicine including clinical, diagnostic, and basic sciences. Criteria for mentors include adequate funding, space, and equipment for their project. Mentors should have prior research experience and either appropriate support staff or commitment of time to directly train students. Mentors must commit to meeting with students to plan, execute, review data, and provide assistance for data presentations. Qualified projects will be relevant to veterinary medicine, provide significant research training, test a hypothesis, and be able to be completed in the allowable time. A ranking point system will be used to match eligible mentors and students. Students applying from outside the UTVCM, including international applicants, will be put in contact with potential mentors and otherwise assisted by the program directors. Each student'smentor will provide a project with a testable hypothesis.Prior to beginning their research, students will attend a presentation conducted by a certified occupational health nurse covering occupational health and safety, be screened to identify potential health issues, and become enrolled in the occupational health program.All students will receive biological safety training in a class conducted by certified specialists. Students will attend weekly sessions covering important research topics. The history of animal use regulations and details about the approval process and researcher responsibility with be presented by the chair of the university IACUC. A speaker from the UT Research Foundation will discuss intellectual property and entrepreneurship. Additional talks will be presented by our faculty and administrators and cover research ethics and honesty, careers in research, best practices for laboratory record keeping, experiment planning and design, effective use of library resources, statistical analysis, manuscript preparation, development of PowerPoint presentations, and techniques for effective public speaking. Students will attend a two day, on campus, research symposium sponsored by the Comparative and Experimental Medicine Graduate and Public Health programs. The symposium, held mid-June, currently in its seventh year, will feature research presentations, a research career themed workshop, and keynote speaker. Students will also participate in a field trip to the Knoxville Zoo with a guided tour conducted by the zoo veterinarian. They will visit animal exhibits and tour the zoo's veterinary clinic.The students' research experience will include a presentation of their work to peers, mentors, faculty and staff in a symposium setting at the UTCVM. All Merial-funded student participants will present their research at the Merial-NIH symposium. The particular scientific skills acquired by individual students will vary depending upon their project and mentor but these may include PCR, sequence analysis, cell culture, virus propagation, field collections, serological tests including ELISA and western blots and model development. Acquisition of particular skills desired by the students will be accommodated whenever possible. Students will be encouraged to attend clinical rounds and grand rounds at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine to correlate their research training with clinical applications.