Undergraduate Summer Research Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the program dates for 2009?
June 1 - August 7, 2009. No activities scheduled for the week of July 4th. We suggest out-of-town students move in May 29 - May 31 and be ready to begin at 8:00 am on June 1st.
2. Am I required to be on the Albany Medical Center campus for the full term?
Yes. Ten weeks may sound like a long time, but it is a very short period in which to do any authentic, meaningful basic science research. You must attend orientation (June 1st) and participate in the poster session on the final day (August 7th). You will also be required to attend weekly seminar meetings and classes.
3. What hours do I work?
This is perhaps the most asked question. Since the AMC Summer Research Program is probably an undergraduate's first attempt at real scientific research, it is hard to explain the variability. This is left up to the mentor that you will be working with. You will be expected to work when the work needs to be done. Experiments don't always run on the timescale we'd like them to. You must be willing to work some late nights and lots of weekends, if necessary. But usually, the schedule is 8am to 5pm.
4. Can I live off campus?
Yes, you may live anywhere you would like. Our program cannot pay for housing. Some local students live at home or already have an apartment. We offer housing arrangements at reasonable cost (about $120/week) through nearby dorms. More details upon acceptance to the program.
5. Can I take summer school classes during the 10-week period?
No. You must be willing to devote your entire attention to your research program. This is a full-time job.
6. From whom should I solicit Letter(s) of Recommendation?
Your recommendation letter(s) are very important. They should be from a faculty member who knows you quite well. If somebody can only say that you made an "A" in their class, you've wasted a letter because we can look at your transcripts and know that. Your letter should be from a science faculty member.
7. How do I choose a mentor?
The Program Director is ultimately responsible for selecting mentor-student pairs, but you get a lot of input by specifying your interests when you complete your application. We ask all applicants to visit the website of each individual Center. All faculty members are listed with a brief synopsis of their current research interests. Include on your application a list of 3 or 4 faculty members whose research sounds interesting to you. One or more of these mentors is likely to contact you by e-mail and you will have opportunities to learn more about the projects being offered.
8. How do I get paid?
Students who are accepted into the ten-week summer undergraduate research program will receive a stipend of $3,000. Paydays are every two weeks beginning June 20 and will be approximately $600 every two weeks depending on your withholding on the W-4 form.
9. How many students will be in the program?
10 to 20 undergraduates
30 to 40 medical students in a parallel program
90% of time in lab, but lots of interactions with other undergraduates is part of the program.
