Research & Scholarly Advancement Fellowship Program (RSAF)

June 3-August 9, 2013

All OU-HCOM students who will successfully complete the Year 1 medical school curriculum by the end of the spring semester are invited to apply for the Research and Scholarly Advancement Fellowship (RSAF) program. Students must also be in good professional and judicial standing at the time of application through the completion of the program (OU-HCOM Research Day).  This ten-week summer program provides selected OU-HCOM students with an introduction to basic science and clinical research and scholarly activities under the guidance of an OU-HCOM faculty mentor.

The core of the program is a research project that each student pursues under faculty direction. Projects may encompass anything from contributing to an ongoing faculty research project in the laboratory or clinic to an original research project designed by the student. In addition to performing research, students are required to attend seminars on various research-related topics and present a poster of their project at the OU-HCOM Research Day during the fall semester following the fellowship program.

The fellowship pays $3,000 to assist fellows with living expenses over the ten-week program.  Awards will be based on the preferences of participating faculty and the availability of funds.

For additional information, contact Jessica Wingett, Program Director, at

(740) 593-2336 or wingettj@ohio.edu.

2013 Important Dates

Student Selection Process

·         Faculty mentors must write a project description of potential RSAF projects in their laboratories to be included in the student application package. Students must select potential faculty mentors from only the mentors outlined in the application package.

·         Students are required to consult with potential faculty mentors, in person, prior to submission of the student application package.  Students must also complete the Project Discussion Form (found in the student application package) and have it signed by the potential faculty mentor during this consultation.  These completed forms must be included in the submitted student application package.

·         By the end of February, 2013, faculty mentors will receive copies of application packages for the students who have expressed interest in working on their proposed projects. Faculty mentors are required to review the applications and rank the students according to preference. The rankings will be reviewed by the Program Director and final acceptance and placement will be made at the discretion of the Office of Research & Grants. Students will be notified of their acceptance into the program and of their assigned faculty mentors/research projects by Friday, March 8, 2013.

RSAF Class of 2012

Carter Battista (Faculty Mentor:  Jay Shubrook, DO)

Nathan Denlinger (Faculty Mentor:  Kelly McCall, PhD)

Rachel Elsasser (Faculty Mentor:  Daryn Straley, DO)

Sean Gallagher (Faculty Mentor:  Leslie Consitt, PhD)

Michael Halko (Faculty Mentor: Aili Guo, MD, PhD)

Erich Heine (Faculty Mentor:  Karen Coschigano, PhD)

Andrew LePorte (Faculty Mentor: Thad Wilson, PhD)

Amy Mattern (Faculty Mentor:  Erin Murphy, PhD)

Kyle Mudd (Faculty Mentor:  Kelly McCall, PhD)

Evelyn Niederriter (Faculty Mentor:  Brian Clark, PhD)

Bret Nolan (Faculty Mentor:  Kelly McCall, PhD)

Chidozie Odigwe (Faculty Mentor:  Brian Clark, PhD)

Osman Perez (Faculty Mentor:  Jen-Tzer Gau, MD, PhD)

Amy Smith (Faculty Mentor:  Jane Balbo, DO)

Jarrod Uhrig (Faculty Mentor:  Frank Schwartz, MD)

Josiah Wagler (Faculty Mentor:  Thad Wilson, PhD)

Fady Yacoub (Faculty Mentor:  Aili Guo, MD, PhD)