Medicine and Research
​Summer Program

Saturdays June 21 - August 30, 2025
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM EDT
​Virtual (Zoom)

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Community HealTh Literacy Worker Optional Addition

Saturdays June 21 - August 30, 2025
Extends the program time 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM EDT
​Virtual (Zoom) + in-person, Simulation Center/ Symposium Date

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the world of Medicine 
• Listen to talks from physicians, researchers, and medical students at Columbia University and New York Presbyterian Hospital
• Learn the art of working with patients and practice simulated patient interviews 
• Write a research paper, create a community project, or craft a health narrative
• Network with students from around the world
• Receive mentorship from medical and dental students in a supportive community
• Impact families and communities 
  
• Flexible. There are no transcript grades, so you can learn at your own pace and pursue your personal passion over the summer.
• Have a Fun and Productive Summer Experience!
  

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​The Summer Program has faculty from across the Columbia/ NYP medical campus that cover diverse specialties such as neurosurgery, psychiatry, dermatology, primary care, and ethics.

Teaching Fellows
The program features medical and dental students from Columbia VP&S who guide and mentor students throughout the summer with clinical cases and >200 hours of office hours.

​Activities

Clinical Correlates:

• Neuroanatomy
• Skin Cancer
• Oral, head and neck cancer 
• Seizures and Epilepsy
• Menstrual health
• Aro/ace identities and culture
• Psychosis history
• History of present illness
• Art of medicine
• Radiology & STI
• Womem's health
• Ethics
• Major depressive disorder
• Bipolar
• Psychotic schizophrenia
• Substance use disorder
• Eating disorders
• Personality disorder
• Neuroradiology & Headaches
• Sleep: OSA, insomnia
• Multiple sclerosis

• Dementia
• Peripheral
• Spine
• Strokes/Trauma
• Functional
• Pituitary adenoma
• Tumors
• Physical exam
• Mental Status Exam
• Neurology exam​

Research Workshops:

• Conducting Research
• Analyzing Data
• Structuring a Paper

Asynchronous Assignments:

• Clinical Assignments
• Research Paper
• Medical Education Modules
• Harvard Alumni for Global Women's Empowerment Essay
• Weekly Reflection
• Professional Development

22.5 hours of synchronous programming

Open House Recording

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Summer Program

​​Example Schedule
Summer 2024 Schedule:
Saturdays 10:30AM - 1:00PM EDT

June 15

• Orientation
• Dr. Lucy Torres-Deas: Narrative Experience of Pursuing Medicine as a First-Gen Low-Income Student
• Paul Lewis: History of Present Illness

June 22

• Dr. Shawn Trokhan: Orthopedic Surgery and Correlation with Exercise and Life Advice
• Kevin Yang: Applying to College
• Jack Riley: Depression
• Kevin Yang: Blood Pressure

July 6

• Ruotong Wang: Climate Change
• Dr. Christopher Winfree: Neurosurgery
• Standardized Patients: BOLDCARTS and Motivational Interviewing
• Melanoma
• Ethical Cases

July 13

• Karen Chen: Vaccines
• Dr. Kedar Sankholkar: Cardiology
• Dr. James Noble: Going to the Doctor

July 20

• Dr. Diana Martinez: Substance Use and the Brain
• Jack Riley: Substance Use; Alcohol, Tobacco, Vaping
• Dr. Olajide Williams: Hip Hop Public Health

August 3

• Ruotong Wang: Mini Review
• Dr. Barbara Rothschild: Clinical Ethics
• Standardized Patients

August 10

• Ruotong Wang: Asthma
• Dr. Maria de Miguel: Community Health
• Dr. Michael Devlin: CBT Eating Disorders

August 17

• Kevin Yang: Cavities
• Kevin Yang: Oral Radiology
• Divya Aggarwal: Medicines
• Ruotong Wang: Insurance and Financial Wellness
• Sarah Frances: TBI - Stroke / Dementia​

August 24

• Dr. Bernard Chang: Physician Scientist

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*Sessions are led by medical students, physicians, researchers, and alumni. Our work is done by students, alumni, and faculty at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) and Harvard College and represents our views, which is not necessarily those of the CUIMC and Harvard institutions as a whole.

Optional Additional Program: Community Health Literacy Worker (CHLW) Program - Neurology Department
​

​Students have the opportunity to become community health literacy workers for stroke, dementia, and health insurance. This is a unique opportunity to learn from the neurology department at Columbia VP&S and NYP about diseases with the highest mortality and morbidity. Students act as a health liaison within their community throughout the duration of the program. By program completion, students will be able to recognize signs and symptoms, have knowledge about preventative measures that can be taken, and complete a mentored capstone project. Student will take a final exam at the end of the summer. Students are invited to a symposium at Columbia University VP&S in New York to present their project to the neurology department. Students complete a capstone community intervention under the mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students. Attendance at a certain amount of synchronous sessions as well as submitted assignments is mandatory for the CHLW Certificate.
Includes:

• Additional hour each week
• In-person days at Columbia
• Health Liaison Education
• Community Intervention Project
• End of program symposium 

Optional International Young Researchers' Conference

At the end of the program, students are encouraged to submit their completed summer project to our biannual conference and online journal. The submissions are peer-reviewed by someone with a bachelors, masters or doctoral degree and accepted submissions are published. There are virtual and in-person options for students to participate. Listen to peers present their research projects and present your own poster or oral presentation. It is a fun and educational experience. Information about the conferences can be found on the conference webpage: www.the-iyrc.org/iyrcconference.html 

Application Process:
​

• The IYRC Summer Program on Medicine and Research is open to high school (secondary school) and college students
• Interested students must complete an application to participate
• Accepted students must pay the registration fee (Financial Aid available)
• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
• The essays are not meant to be stressful. You have the opportunity to share a holistic angle of why you would like to participate in the program, what you like to do, and what your goals are for the summer.
• Responses should be original. Plagiarism  will not be tolerated.

​​Registration includes:
​

• Access to 22.5 hours of synchronous programming
• Lectures and workshops from distinguished Columbia University physicians, researchers, and medical students at Columbia University and New York Presbyterian Hospital
• Write a real research paper, create a community project, or craft a health narrative
• Opportunity to participate in a medical education module competition and the Harvard Alumni for Global Women Empowerment Essay Contest
• Networking with other motivated students from around the world

Questions? Please read our FAQ or contact us.

DEADLINE
​December 14
January 25
February 15
March 15
April 26
May 31 

BASE PROGRAM COST
​$500 (28% off)
$550 (21% off)
$600 (14% off)
$650 (7% off)
$700 (Full Price)
​$750 (+ $50 Late Fee)

BASE + COMMUNITY PROGRAM ADDITION COST
​$600 (40% off)
$700 (30% off)
$800 (20% off)
$900 (10% off)
$1,000 (Full Price)
​$1,100 (+ $100 Late Fee)

*Limited need-based financial aid available to accepted students

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​Refund Policy

• Before March 15: Refund with a $10 cancellation fee.
• March 15 – June 20: Refund with a $100 cancellation fee.
• After joining the course page or after the program starts on June 21: No refunds.

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STUDENT REVIEWS