About HEART:

The Harvard/MIT Equitable Access to Research Training (HEART) MD-PhD Summer Program was established by Harvard/MIT MD-PhD students in 2022 in response to a need for increased diversity in the physician-scientist career path. The HEART Program is a fully-funded summer program for undergraduate students interested in pursuing MD-PhD training. It is a track of the Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program. Students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine—broadly defined—are especially encouraged to apply.

Program Highlights

Over the course of ten weeks, HEART Scholars will:

  • Live with other HEART/SHURP Scholars in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, MA
  • Work on a research project under the mentorship of a Harvard faculty member
  • Learn how to prepare oral, written, and poster presentations of their research
  • Present a poster at the Leadership Alliance National Symposium
  • Present an oral presentation at the Annual SHURP Symposium
  • Gain longitudinal mentorship with HEART Program leadership and a current MD-PhD student mentor
  • Participate in weekly seminars and workshops
  • Shadow clinicians at Harvard teaching hospitals
  • Gain hands-on experience in clinical simulations and skills workshops

Financial Support:

HEART Scholars receive a competitive stipend (typically $5,000), housing near the Harvard Medical School campus, and reimbursement for travel expenses to/from Boston.

Important Dates:

Applications for the HEART Summer Program must be submitted before February 3, 2025. The 2025 program will be 10 weeks and run from Sunday, June 1 to Saturday, August 9.

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