Thank you for your interest in the Research Support Grant Program offered through the AAO | AUPO Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring program.
The Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring’s Research Support pilot program will undergo restructuring to better align with the evolving landscape of ophthalmology residency application, how residency programs evaluate the research experience of applicants, and how it can best support program students to achieve excellence. The pilot program will no longer provide funding towards students’ research expenditures or research mentors.
Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring remains committed to support students in their pursuit of research and other scholarly activities.
Research Opportunities and Resources
- In an effort to streamline support and resources, we encourage students to collaborate closely with their home institution’s Office of Student Research and Student Affairs/Career Advising. These offices are equipped to guide you in identifying and applying for research opportunities. Many schools have designated opportunities available only to their medical students. Your home institution’s research opportunities have a more robust infrastructure in place to support students in their research efforts, with advisors/mentors as well as defined research opportunities that often have funding earmarked.
- AAMC’s Clinical and Research Opportunities Database is another resource to identify research opportunities. This platform offers a comprehensive and updated list of research opportunities that align with your interests and academic pursuits. 69 U.S.-based research opportunities are listed as of December 1.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Electives Program offers 4- to 12-week clinically oriented rotations for students interested in exploring research-oriented careers.
- As a final suggestion, you may elect to post on the Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring community asking if anyone is aware of research opportunities including mentorship. It would help if you could identify those areas of research in which you are most interested.
The program is actively working on developing additional resources and webinars to assist students in gaining a better understanding of the types of research that can enhance their residency candidacy. Stay tuned for announcements regarding these valuable resources that will provide insights into the research landscape in medical education.
If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact mentoring@aao.org.