# Short-Term Training in Ophthalmology Research for Medical Students

> **NIH NIH T35** · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · 2020 · $48,092

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
 Encouraging the next generation of ophthalmology physician-scientists is a pressing need for the field. To
that end, the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology proposes a T35 short-term
summer research program for medical students interested in ophthalmology research. The rationale for this
program is that early exposure to research is likely to engender ongoing interest in a research career, and that
early exposure to concepts in ophthalmology beyond the standard medical school curriculum will attract more
students to research in the specialty. Thus, the objectives of this program are to provide a research experience
that (1) introduces trainees to the diversity of research in ophthalmology, including experimental design,
methods, critical evaluation of the literature, and results presentation; (2) instills in trainees an interest in
ophthalmology through didactic lectures, workshops, and hands-on clinical training and shadowing; and (3)
offers trainees training in responsible conduct of research. To meet these objectives, the program will offer a
12-week research experience for medical students after completion of their first year. Students interested in
ophthalmology will be actively recruited from the school, as will students from underrepresented populations,
especially those entering the Indiana University School of Medicine from one of Indiana University’s multiple
pipeline programs. Program slots are requested for 6 students, who will be paired with mentors selected from a
pool of 17 participating faculty. Faculty research interests span basic, translational, and clinical research in
major areas of ophthalmology, with particular strengths in retina, glaucoma, and pediatric ophthalmology.
Trainees will spend the majority of their time working on mentored research projects with their mentors, but will
also engage in other enrichment activities, including responsible conduct of research lectures and workshops.
Innovative aspects of the enrichment activities include (1) integration with the Indiana University Medical
Student Program for Research and Scholarship (IMPRS), a School-wide summer research program, exposing
trainees to scientific and research career-oriented seminars from diverse faculty; (2) a one-day “boot camp”
teaching trainees key basic concepts in vision science and clinical ophthalmology; and (3) interprofessional
education opportunities provided by videoconference participation in a class on “Critical Evaluation of Vision
Science Literature” offered by the Indiana University School of Optometry to their summer OD student
researchers. The Department and School have a deep commitment to this new T35 program, which will
leverage the highly successful infrastructure of IMPRS while providing unique, and currently lacking,
ophthalmology-specific content and trainee slots. The long-term goal of the program is to increase the pool of
ophthalmology physician-scientists in Indiana...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9933256
- **Project number:** 1T35EY031282-01
- **Recipient organization:** INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Timothy W Corson
- **Activity code:** T35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $48,092
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-05-01 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9933256

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9933256, Short-Term Training in Ophthalmology Research for Medical Students (1T35EY031282-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9933256. Licensed CC0.

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