High School and Undergraduate Opportunities in Research

The John A. Burns School of Medicine encourages and supports high school and undergraduate students to be actively engaged in research.

We have multiple formal programs that support student researchers as they develop their own projects. We also have faculty mentors who can guide students interested in research similar to their own research foci. We encourage you to take the first step and find out more about our programs and faculty research projects.

Hawaiʻi Pre-Health Career Corps

interested students in medical gownThe Hawaiʻi Pre-Health Career Corps (PHCC) is a free year-round program for high school and college students who are interested in pursuing careers in health. Its purpose is to increase awareness about health careers by providing mentoring, physician shadowing, and research experiences. Workshops for SAT preparation and other college and career guidance are provided, as well as individual essay writing and interview assistance. Many students work with the program over the years and receive recommendation letters as well. Dr. Kelley Withy leads this initiative out of the Hawaiʻi/Pacific Basic Area Health Education Center.

Click HERE for more information.
Contact: Kelley Withy, MD, PhD | phcc@hawaii.edu | (808) 692-1060

IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE)

students talking to professor during conferenceThe mission of INBRE is to involve students in biomedical research from the beginning of their college experience. INBRE is a statewide program involving most of our undergraduate-based institutions and nearly all of our community colleges. Biomedical research across the state includes: Cancer research, Neuroscience research, Immune System research, Natural Product Development, Drug Development, Toxicology, Parasitology, Virology, Cell Stress, Analytical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Monoclonal Antibody Production. Contact your INBRE campus coordinator. For a listing of campus coordinators and a description of each research site, visit the Student Research Experience page.

Click HERE for more information.
Contact: Dr. Peter Hoffmann | peterrh@hawaii.edu | (808) 692-1568

Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC-UHM)

ug-marc.jpgThe mission of MARC-Hawaii is to provide training in biological research for a diverse group of UHM students, who are underrepresented in the sciences including Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian, other Pacific Islanders (Samoan, Tongan, Micronesian, Guamanian/Chamorro, mixed Pacific Islander), Filipino, Hispanic, African American; other Asians (e.g., Cambodian, Vietnamese, Laotian); iii) those from disadvantaged backgrounds, including low socioeconomic status and residents of rural outer islands, iv) gender diversity (LGBTQ), and v) students with apparent and non-apparent disabilities.

Visit the MARC website for more information.
Email: uhm-marc@lists.hawaii.edu

Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT)

mhirt personnel pouring water from barrellThe Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research Training (MHIRT) Program, based in the Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology & Pharmacology, provides exciting opportunities for UH Manoa students to perform research projects in international locations. Program benefits include: quality experience in research, roundtrip airfare and paid living expenses abroad, life changing research and cultural experience, and the opportunity to earn up to 10 credits of directed research courses.

Click HERE for more information.
Contact: Dr. Vivek Nerurkar | nerurkar@hawaii.edu | (808) 692-1668

Native Hawaiian Health Summer Research Internship Program

native hawaiian health internship program studentThe Department of Native Hawaiian Health’s Summer Research Internship (SRI) Program provides a limited number of college and university students the opportunity to participate in a clinical, community-based, or translational research study, and a medical curriculum organized by the Research Division of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health. Interns present their work at a poster symposium at the end of the summer.

Click HERE (tbd) for more information.
Contact: 808-692-1078 | dnhhsri@hawaii.edu

Hawaii Pacific Health Summer Student Research Program

image-for-hph-ssrp-2024.jpgThis program partners the experience of conducting a clinical research study with a structured medical curriculum highlighted by the “life cycle of research” curriculum, “careers in medicine” talks with physicians, and visits to medical facilities and hospitals. Throughout the 8-week program, students are given the opportunity to pursue optional activities (shadowing physicians and observing surgeries) based on their individual areas of interest in medicine.

Click HERE for more information.
Contact: conference@hawaiipacifichealth.org

The Queen’s Medical Center Summer Research Internship

queens internship presenting posterThis summer program is a collaborative partnership between The Queen’s Medical Center, Office of Research & Development and the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine, Department of Native Hawaiian Health. Summer Interns under the guidance of faculty mentors develop research questions about pressing health concerns in Hawaiʻi and use registry and databases to find answers to their questions. Their work helps to improve the health of our local citizens.

Click HERE for more information.
Contact: Dr. Todd Seto | SRI@queens.org | (808) 691-4843

STEP-UP Program

step-up program researcher at computerThe highly competitive STEP-UP Program provides hands-on summer research experiences for high school and undergraduate students interested in exploring research careers. In addition to mentoring and other perks, students receive an all-paid trip to the National Institutes of Health’s main campus in Bethesda, Maryland to present their work. Dr. George Hui leds the Pacific STEP-UP program inspiring students from American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaiʻi, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

Click HERE for more information.
Contact: Dr. George Hui | ghui@hawaii.edu | (808) 692-1609