Student Research

Getting Started


1. Complete the Student Research Info Form
Students that are requesting to be paired with a research mentor should complete the Student Research Information Form along  with a copy of your CV, CITI Training Certificates and return to Dr. Paula Nichols, Associate Dean of Research.

  1. Students that have already aligned with a mentor should forward the mentor’s contact info to Dr. Paula Nichols, Biomedical Sciences.
2. CITI research training

1. The SOM requires all individuals working or volunteering in a laboratory setting to complete these TWO CITI courses –

a.  Basic Introduction to Biosafety and
b.  Training for Investigators, Staff and Student Handling Biohazards   See the info under #5 at:https://med.umkc.edu/ora/human_subjects/

2. Individuals that conduct clinical research activities complete TWO more CITI courses –

a.  Human Subjects Research (Biomedical-Group 1) – See the info under #1 at:https://med.umkc.edu/ora/human_subjects/
b.  Conflict of Interest  – See #3 at: https://med.umkc.edu/ora/human_subjects/

SOM students should complete the above 4 CITI courses.

3. Other UMKC compliance committees such as the Institutional Animal Use and Care Committee (IACUC) and Radiation Safety committee may need to review the addition of a student to a project depending on circumstances. These groups may assign additional CITI courses.

3. Student Affairs Approval
Deptartment of Biomedical Sciences will check with SOM Student Affairs to confirm the student’s eligibility to participate in supervised research activities.

4. Advisors match students and mentor

Students that request an interest in working on research projects – Research Administration will forward the Student Research Info Form to the Faculty Advisors. The Faculty Advisors will attempt to match interested students with a research mentor.

Research mentors may also ask students to sign a confidentiality agreement. Research mentors may also ask students to sign a confidentiality agreement and/or a mentor/mentee agreement.

5. Clinical Research - Hospital affiliate requirements
The hospital affiliates have additional requirements for students to be on site and participate in research activities including institutional review board (IRB) review of students’ participation in research activities.

Hospital compliance training, confidentiality agreements and check of vaccinations and TB skin test status.

  • Research process at UH
  • Research process at CMH
  • Research process at SLH
6. Year 1 Information
  • Year 1 Research Policy
  • Year 1 Research Experience Form
    As referenced in the Yr 1 Student Research Policy, current year 1 medical students interested in applying to be paired with a faculty research mentor should complete the FOUR CITI research training courses listed above and submit:

    to Dr. Paula Nichols, Biomedical Sciences.

    The annual deadline for application is March 1st. Each year 1 student applicant will be reviewed by the Student Research Committee for potential placement with a faculty research mentor. Year 1 students that are selected will hear from the committee a few weeks after the deadline.

    Yr 1 students are unable to be matched with a clinical research mentor at University Health because of the requirement that students have to be escorted at all times at UH and the hospital is unable to accommodate computer access requests due to licensing requirements.