Office of Research & Scholarship Welcome

Students interested in research should begin by contacting the Director of Medical Student Research, who serves as the primary point of contact for general research questions.

Erik Rytting, PhD
Email: erryttin@utmb.edu

• Advises students on research pathways and opportunities.
• Helps identify projects aligned with students' interests.
• Connects students with appropriate faculty mentors.
• Provides guidance for regulatory (IRB) research projects.

The overall research program is overseen by:

Norma Pérez, MD, DrPH, CPC
Assistant Dean for Educational Affairs
Email: noaperez@utmb.edu

• Oversight of JSSOM research programs and policies.
• Strategic leadership for student research initiatives.
• High-level guidance for students pursuing scholarly activities.
• Coordination of institutional research resources and mentorship programs.

Students have access to faculty mentors across multiple research disciplines.

Students interested in Quality Improvement or Quality Assurance projects are encouraged to work with a faculty mentor within the specialty most closely related to their project.

If a specialty mentor is unavailable, Dr. Gulshan Sharma, JSSOM's Quality Improvement Expert, will assist in identifying appropriate mentorship and resources.

The following faculty serve as Quality Improvement Subject Matter Experts within their respective departments.

Yes. JSSOM maintains a network of Subject Matter Experts across multiple disciplines to support students pursuing specialized areas of research. These faculty members provide expertise, mentorship, and consultation based on students' scholarly interests and project needs.

Absolutely. Students are encouraged to meet with the Director of Medical Student Research early in their medical education to discuss career goals, explore research interests, and identify faculty mentors before selecting a project.

The enhanced research support model provides students with:

• Clear pathways to research opportunities.
• Centralized guidance and advising.
• Access to faculty experts across multiple research disciplines.
• Specialty-specific mentorship.
• Streamlined access to institutional research resources.
• Support from project development through dissemination of scholarly work.

Yes. Students may complete a 4-week Summer Research Program and a 4-week Summer Preceptorship, provided the schedules do not overlap.

No. An 8-week Summer Research Program occupies the entire summer research period and cannot be combined with a Summer Preceptorship.

Students with an IP or Incomplete must successfully complete all required remediation and satisfy curriculum requirements before participating in either program.

You may apply to different preceptorships during the application process; however, you may not:

• Participate in overlapping preceptorships.
• Enroll in the same preceptorship during both summer blocks.

No. Once assignments have been finalized and the application deadline has passed, schedule changes are generally not permitted.

Students may choose either:

• A 4-week research experience, or
• An 8-week research experience.

Most research experiences are conducted on the UTMB campus or under the supervision of an approved faculty mentor. Students should confirm location expectations with their mentor before the program begins.

Yes. All Summer Research Program participants are required to present their work during the end of course poster session.

Possibly. A limited number of competitive stipends are available.

Receiving a research placement does not guarantee stipend funding.

When available, stipends are typically distributed after students have completed the program requirements and all required documentation has been submitted.

Questions regarding the Summer Preceptorship Program or the Summer Research Program should be directed to the JSSOM Research Office or Educational Affairs.

All JSSOM medical students conducting research must complete the following required training before participating in research activities:

• CITI Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) for Medical Students
• CITI Human Subjects Research for Medical Students
• CITI Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Course

These courses provide the foundational knowledge necessary to conduct ethical, responsible, and compliant research.

These trainings help ensure that students:

• Conduct research ethically and responsibly.
• Understand federal regulations and institutional policies.
• Protect the rights, safety, and privacy of research participants.
• Follow best practices in research integrity and clinical research.

Yes. All medical students participating in research are expected to complete the required CITI training courses before beginning their research activities, regardless of the type of project.

Yes. Depending on your research project, additional training may be required. Examples include:

• IRB-specific training for studies involving informed consent or direct interaction with research participants.
• Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) Training for certain laboratory-based research involving biological materials.
• Other project- or department-specific training required by your faculty mentor, laboratory, or the institution.

Your faculty research mentor and the appropriate institutional office (such as the IRB, Biosafety Office, or laboratory supervisor) will inform you of any additional training requirements specific to your project.

Yes. Completion of the required CITI training courses is typically required before access to institutional research databases (such as TriNetX, REDCap, InfoEd, Slicer Dicer, or OnCore) can be approved.

Some training certificates require periodic renewal. Students should verify certificate expiration dates and complete refresher training as required to maintain compliance throughout their research activities.

The required courses are available through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program). Students should complete the modules designated by UTMB for medical students and retain copies of their completion certificates for future research requests.

If you have questions about required research training or need assistance determining which courses apply to your project, contact the JSSOM Research Office or your faculty research mentor.

JSSOM students may request access to institutional research databases, including:

• TriNetX
• REDCap
• InfoEd
• Slicer Dicer (Only for MS3 and MS4)
• OnCore (when applicable)

Access is granted based on your research project, required training, and faculty mentor approval.

Follow these steps:

Step 1: Submit an Initial Request
Visit the TriNetX Home page and complete the online access request form.

Step 2: Request Notification
Your request will be received by one of the JSSOM Trusted Requestors.

Step 3: Receive Instructions
A JSSOM Trusted Requestor will contact you with instructions and provide a link to complete the Access Request Webform.

Complete the Access Request Webform and upload the following:

• CITI Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Certificate
• CITI Human Subjects Research Certificate
• CITI Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Certificate
• IRB approval letter (if applicable)
• Faculty Research Mentor information

Yes. Every request must include a faculty research mentor who will review and approve your request before institutional review.

Once your mentor confirms your request:

1. Your application is routed for final institutional review.
2. If revisions are needed, you will be contacted.
3. Once approved, all parties – including you – will receive an email confirming authorization to proceed.

After final approval:

• The JSSOM Trusted Requestor assigns your database access privileges through Tivoli.
• Tivoli staff complete the access setup.
• You will receive an email once your database access has been activated.

Processing times vary depending on:

• Completion of all required training
• Submission of all required documents
• Faculty mentor approval
• Institutional review timelines

Students are encouraged to submit requests well in advance of when database access is needed.

Not always. An IRB approval letter is required only if your research project has already received IRB approval or requires IRB oversight.

Medical students who are presenting or attending a professional conference and have been unable to secure funding through their mentor's department or Osler Society may apply for JSSOM Conference Travel support.

Yes. Students are expected to first request financial support from:

• Their faculty mentor's department
• Their Osler Society

If funding is unavailable through these sources, students may then submit a request for JSSOM Conference Travel support.

Eligible expenses include:

• Conference registration fees
• Airfare
• Lodging
• Ground transportation
• Poster printing

Conference travel awards are supported through the JSSOM Small Grant Fund.

Applications must be submitted at least three (3) weeks before the conference to allow adequate time for review and processing.

No. Conference travel awards are provided as reimbursement only. Students are responsible for paying expenses upfront and submitting the required documentation for reimbursement.

Once all required documentation has been received and approved, reimbursement requests typically take 1–2 weeks to process.

Yes. Students may request funding for multiple conferences; however, funding is limited to up to $500 per conference, per academic year, and all requests are subject to available funds.

No. Conference travel awards are subject to the availability of JSSOM Small Grant Fund resources and completion of all application requirements.

For questions regarding eligibility, the application process, or reimbursement, please contact the JSSOM Research Office.