Medical Research Scholars Program

The NIH Medical Research Scholars Program (MRSP) helps medical, dental and veterinary students enter the pathway to biomedical research careers.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Medical Research Scholars Program (MRSP) is a comprehensive, yearlong research enrichment program designed to attract creative, research-oriented medical, dental, and veterinary students to the intramural campus of the NIH in Bethesda, MD.

Student scholars engage in a mentored basic, clinical, or translational research project on the main NIH campus in Bethesda, or nearby NIH facilities that matches their research interests and career goals.

NIMHD is proud to participate with other NIH Institutes and Centers in the MRSP. Our goal is to introduce the MRSP to medical, dental, and veterinary students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and encourage them to consider biomedical research as a career.

MRSP Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply for a Medical Research Scholars Program at the NIH, you must meet the following requirements:

1. This program is intended for medical, dental, osteopathic, and veterinary students attending accredited institutions location in the U.S., U.S. Commonwealth territories, or Canada. Candidates must currently be enrolled in a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, a dental school that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, an osteopathic school that is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association, or a veterinary medical college that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education.
2. Candidates currently enrolled in Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs are not eligible to apply.
3. The MRSP is designed for students who have completed their clinical rotations, i.e., third-year, but does not exclude students with strong research interests from applying prior to having completed their clinical rotations.
4. Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
5. Fourth-year students qualify to apply and participate in the MRSP. However, they must not participate in the National Residency Match Program and must defer graduation.

For more information, visit Medical Research Scholars Program

Meet NIMHD MRSP Alumni

Page updated August 3, 2023