Seventeen students have been selected to participate in the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Summer Scholars Program, an introduction to biomedical research through research-driven activities. The 2009 Summer Scholars Program is funded by the Merck-Merial Veterinary Scholar Program, a grant from the National Institutes of Health, and research funds from the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.

The Summer Scholars Program serves to further students’ learning and experiences beyond the required classroom and clinical training. The program is competitive and based on proposals submitted by first- and second-year veterinary students. The program encourages innovative studies in human and animal diseases, and lends further understanding to veterinary careers in biomedical research. Each year Merck-Merial selects veterinary schools to participate in its biomedical research program, and LSU has received the funding for the ninth consecutive year. For the sixth consecutive year, students will also receive grants from the National Institute of Health (NIH) for summer study. There are only eight veterinary schools in the country with summer grant programs funded by both Merck-Merial and the NIH.

Each student receives a $5,200 stipend. Merck-Merial will also sponsor the students’ participation at the 2009 Merck-Merial Symposium on August 6-8, 2009, at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., where research will be presented by students from the participating veterinary schools. This conference will bring together scientists from academia, the pharmaceutical industry, and NIH leadership in one setting.

To participate in the Summer Scholars program, the students developed their own research plan proposals with the guidance of a faculty member, and a faculty committee selected the participants based on the proposals. All first and second year veterinary students throughout the country and abroad had the opportunity to submit proposals