Summer Pediatric Internship Research Experience (SPIRE)

The Summer Pediatric Internship in Research (SPIRE) is a seven-week summer program combining research and clinical aspects of pediatrics and/or pediatric subspecialties.

The Summer Pediatric Internship in Research (SPIRE) is a mentored program designed to provide research experience to first-year Jacobs School medical students. In our program, you will be paired with a faculty mentor to complete a pediatric or pediatric specialty research project.

In addition to conducting research, you will attend departmental meetings to gain exposure to the clinical aspects of the subspecialty. Expectation will be to work on plan of research with mentor prior to starting project. At the end of the seven-week summer internship, you will be expected to have minimally completed data collection. Work may be needed to complete analysis and prepare your presentation during the winter break. You will have the opportunity to present your work to faculty and peers in the department, at the Pediatrics Department Research Forum and at the schoolwide Medical Student Research Forum.

Our faculty mentors encourage our student researchers to publish study results and present at national meetings.

Research

Current projects focus on:

Locations

Internships take place on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

Number of Positions

We accept 1–4 students per year, depending on student/mentor fit and funding.

Eligibility

First-year Jacobs School medical students in good standing are eligible.

Program Dates

This is a seven-week internship during the summer between your first and second year.

June 9–July 25, 2025

Award

$4,000.

Prior Recipients

Faces & Voices
Michelle Smith.
I knew that the summer between my first and second year of medical school was a pivotal time to explore my research interests as well as to establish myself as an individual committed to improving the field of pediatrics through research.
12/31/24

Michelle Smith, MD ’16
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Faces & Voices
Rachel Engelberg.
The summer research internship was a great opportunity for me between my first and second years of medical school.
12/31/24

Rachel Engelberg, MD ’18
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

How to Apply

Please complete this form to apply.

(Required)
(Required)
(Required)
 
Please answer in 200 words or less.
 
Please answer in 200 words or less.
 
Please answer in 200 words or less.
 
Please answer in 200 words or less.
 
Please answer in 200 words or less.
(Required)
(Required)

Application Deadline

Feb. 20

Award Notification

Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted on a rolling basis, with the goal to finalize offers by March.

Contact

If you have questions about this research opportunity, please contact:

Hicar, Mark

Mark Hicar, MD, PhD, FPIDS, FIDSA

Associate Professor; Chief, Pediatric Infectious Diseases; Program Director, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship

UBMD Pediatrics Division of Infectious Diseases 1001 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14203

Phone: (716) 323-0150; Fax: (716) 323-0296

Email: markhica@buffalo.edu

Current projects focus on: