Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Endowed Research and Scholarship Advancement Fellowship Program Guidelines

The objectives of the Fellowship program are to provide a valuable experience for highly motivated and talented medical students to participate in a defined research project; to acquaint students with scientific methodology; to enhance their analytic and research skills; and to provide an opportunity to improve their presentation and writing skills. The program provides foundational skills for future physicians to use scientific evidence as a basis in their clinical decision making and to consider the possibility of pursuing research as physician-scientists dedicated to enhancing healthcare. 

All Heritage College students who are currently enrolled as first-year students in the Heritage College during the spring semester immediately preceding the Fellowship program (e.g., spring semester 2025 for Summer 2025 Fellowship program) are invited to apply for the Fellowship program. Students must be in good academic and professional standing, with no Code of Professional Standards violations on record, from the time of application through the conclusion of the Fellowship program. Heritage College Office of Medical Education and others may be contacted to evaluate the student’s suitability to participate in this experience before the conclusion of the proposal review process and periodically through the end of the Fellowship program. 

Fellowship mentors must hold an affiliation with Ohio University, hold a terminal or earned doctoral degree, and have expertise in the field in which they are planning to mentor the student demonstrated through recent (within the last three years) peer-reviewed publications, extramural funding, additional training, and/or recent student or post-doctoral researcher mentorship roles. Potential Fellowship mentors who do not currently hold an affiliation with the Heritage College must apply for and be granted adjunct clinical faculty status with the Heritage College prior to serving as an Fellowship mentor. Additional information can be found on the Heritage College Clinical Education website. Applications with mentors not meeting these criteria will not be considered for Fellowship funding.   

Students are responsible for identifying their own mentor and are encouraged to directly approach Heritage College faculty members, including adjunct clinical faculty, members of Heritage College affiliates (e.g., the Cleveland Clinic systems, Kettering Health Network, Nationwide Children’s Hospital), or Ohio University faculty members (outside the Heritage College), including members of one of the four Heritage College institutes (Diabetes Institute, Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute, Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, or Institute for Molecular Medicine and Aging) or an Ohio University institute such as The Institute to Advance Population Health (ADVANCE) whose research may be of interest to them. Students are also encouraged to visit the Office of Research and Grants Internal Research Opportunities webpage for information on many available research opportunities with Heritage College faculty and members of Heritage College institutes.   

A faculty committee will review the proposals and make funding recommendations to the Fellowship program director. Fellowships are awarded for a period of ten weeks during the summer between the first and second year of OMS training. The fellowship award is $3,000, distributed to the student’s account by the Ohio University Bursar’s Office. The typical disbursement date is on/around June 1st but is subject to change. The fellowship awards are for the student's use only. Students may apply for Medical Student Seed Funding to assist with project-related expenses. Fellowship awards are contingent upon the student’s spring enrollment status and successful completion of the Year 1 medical school curriculum by the end of spring semester immediately preceding the Fellowship program (e.g., spring semester 2025 for Summer 2025 Fellowship program).   

Due to the short timeframe of the Fellowship program, it is the expectation that students will be actively engaged and involved in working on their project for the duration of the Fellowship program. Additionally, students participating in the Fellowship program are not permitted to commit to other employment, programs, or projects outside the Fellowship program for the duration of the program. Participating students will work directly with their mentors to determine their actual daily/weekly schedule. 

During the last week of the summer program, it is mandatory that all students participating in the Fellowship program attend (in person) and present their work as part of the annual summer research symposium or other event as identified by the Fellowship program director. This event will be held in person, on the Athens campus. Failure to complete this requirement by the assigned date may result in a failing grade for the Fellowship program. 

Scientific and Scholarly Merit

Projects should address a meaningful research, scholarly, educational, clinical, or community-focused question and demonstrate clear objectives, an appropriate approach, and potential for generating valuable outcomes. Projects should be well planned, feasible within the fellowship period, and provide a substantive research or scholarly experience for the student.

Educational Value and Student Engagement

The proposed project should provide a meaningful educational experience that advances the student's research, scholarship, and professional development. Applications should clearly describe the student's specific role and responsibilities and demonstrate that the student will be actively engaged in the project rather than serving primarily in a supporting capacity.

Quality of the Application

Applications should be well organized, clearly written, and include all required components described in the application guidelines. Reviewers will evaluate the significance of the proposed work, the clarity of project goals and methodology, the feasibility of completing the work during the award period, and the anticipated educational value to the student.

Mentor Qualifications and Support

Mentors must hold an affiliation with Ohio University, possess appropriate expertise in the proposed area of research or scholarship, and demonstrate the capacity to provide effective mentorship. Evidence of expertise may include scholarly publications, external funding, professional experience, specialized training, or previous mentoring of students or trainees. Reviewers will also consider the quality of the proposed mentorship plan and the mentor's commitment to supporting the student's successful completion of the project.

Feasibility and Project Environment

Reviewers will assess whether the proposed project is appropriately scoped for the fellowship period, whether sufficient resources and support are available to complete the work, and whether the proposed timeline and milestones are realistic and achievable.

Compliance and Regulatory Considerations

Projects involving human participants, animals, protected health information, biohazards, or other regulated activities must address applicable compliance requirements. While regulatory approvals are not required at the time of application, reviewers will consider whether appropriate plans have been identified and whether the project can reasonably be completed within the award period