# Short-Term Research Experiences Advancing Medical Students (STREAMS)

> **NIH NIH T35** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2023 · $44,128

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 The diminishing pipeline of physician scientists is a well-established concern and the National Institutes
of Health has established that medical students not pursuing a dual degree were more likely to choose a
research career as a result of exposure to research during medical school. Therefore, by providing mentored
short-term research experiences for medical students, and aligning students with a physician/surgeon-scientist
role model, opportunity exists to influence the career choices of medical students and address the deficit in the
number of physician/surgeon-scientists entering the workforce. The Short-Term Research Experiences
Advancing Medical Students (STREAMS) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) offers summer
research fellowships with the goal of encouraging medical students to pursue research careers, particularly in
research areas related to the mission of NIDDK. This proposal seeks support to provide a formal program with
stipend support to promising medical students engaged in an 8-12 week, mentored research experience with
the goal of encouraging students to seriously consider careers in academic medicine and enhance the pipeline
of physicians and surgeons with potential to pursue academic careers with NIDDK-related research interests.
UAB is ideally suited for this program; the program boasts outstanding leadership, an environment that
promotes engagement of medical students in research, a well-funded group of trainers with extensive
commitment to medical student mentorship, a diverse pool of potential trainees, a wide breadth of research
opportunities including health disparities research, and matching institutional support. UAB is also home to 5
NIDDK funded research centers. Furthermore, while there are thirteen AAMC accredited medical schools in
the Deep South, only three T35s targeting short-term experiences for medical students have been awarded to
these institutions. There are no NIDDK-funded T35s held by institutions in Alabama or the neighboring states
of Mississippi and Georgia. By partnering medical students with successful physician/surgeon scientists who
will serve as research role models, we aim to increase the future pool of physician/surgeon scientists in the
southeast.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10614455
- **Project number:** 5T35DK116670-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** HERBERT CHEN
- **Activity code:** T35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $44,128
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10614455

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10614455, Short-Term Research Experiences Advancing Medical Students (STREAMS) (5T35DK116670-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10614455. Licensed CC0.

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