Update: UM-INSPIRE application deadline is extended until March 14, 2025. Interviews will be offered via e-mail after the application window closes.
UM-INSPIRE (“In Support of Future Physician Scientist Inclusion in Research and Education,”) is a novel longitudinal mentorship program created for UM undergraduate students from communities historically underrepresented in research and medicine. The mission of UM-INSPIRE is to increase the number of underrepresented students applying and matriculating into MD/PhD programs (e.g. Medical Scientist Training Program, "MSTP") to continue diversifying our small yet critical network of physician-scientists in training. Mentees will be paired with current UM MSTP fellows with whom they will meet regularly and enjoy two fully-funded mentorship meals per semester. UM-INSPIRE students are required to complete two half-days of shadowing a physician as well as requisite hours of supervised research. Mentees will engage with the greater MSTP community by attending monthly seminars to enrich their understanding of MD/PhD programs and learn about the many career paths available to physician-scientists. In addition to MSTP seminars, mentees will participate in the INSPIRE seminar series where they will learn skills directly from MSTP fellows/graduates in science communication, hands-on clinical skills, and professionalism. Mentees will also collaborate with other INSPIRE fellows to create and execute a service event over the course of the program. Additionally, UM-INSPIRE students will receive Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) preparatory materials courtesy of UM-INSPIRE funding sources. The UM-INSPIRE program will culminate in a research day in which mentees will present their research to their INSPIRE peers and other members of the MSTP community at the end of the winter semester.
In order to apply for the UM-INSPIRE program, applicants must be a current University of Michigan undergraduate entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year for the 2025-2026 school year. Students who will be graduating in 2025 are not eligible to apply. Applicants belonging to groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in biomedical research are strongly encouraged to apply. This includes individuals from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, individuals with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (such as family annual income below established low-income thresholds, or an educational environment that has inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.) Students must have 100 hours of supervised research experience to be eligible and be able to provide a letter of recommendation from their supervisor.
The UM-INSPIRE program is designed to help underrepresented undergraduate students learn more about the path of a physician-scientist and enhance readiness for applying to MD/PhD programs. The longitudinal program is aimed at students who have a passion for thinking about scientific questions and ideally have some amount of basic and mechanistic research experience related to medicine. This program is not intended for students seeking clinical research experience on human subjects or who are not considering either medicine or research as a career. The UM-INSPIRE program encourages exploration of non-traditional research opportunities in public health, the social sciences and humanities but does not directly provide resources to engage with these fields. The UM-INSPIRE program is offered by the University of Michigan Medical Scientist Training Program trainees and administration.
* UM-INSPIRE is closely affiliated with the UM-SMART summer undergraduate research program. At this time, students may not participate in both UM-SMART and UM-INSPIRE. Students who have previously applied but were not accepted to UM-SMART are encouraged to apply to UM-INSPIRE.
* Please contact um-inspire@umich.edu with questions or concerns.
UM-INSPIRE 2025-2026
Update: UM-INSPIRE application deadline is extended until March 14, 2025. Interviews will be offered via e-mail after the application window closes.
UM-INSPIRE (“In Support of Future Physician Scientist Inclusion in Research and Education,”) is a novel longitudinal mentorship program created for UM undergraduate students from communities historically underrepresented in research and medicine. The mission of UM-INSPIRE is to increase the number of underrepresented students applying and matriculating into MD/PhD programs (e.g. Medical Scientist Training Program, "MSTP") to continue diversifying our small yet critical network of physician-scientists in training. Mentees will be paired with current UM MSTP fellows with whom they will meet regularly and enjoy two fully-funded mentorship meals per semester. UM-INSPIRE students are required to complete two half-days of shadowing a physician as well as requisite hours of supervised research. Mentees will engage with the greater MSTP community by attending monthly seminars to enrich their understanding of MD/PhD programs and learn about the many career paths available to physician-scientists. In addition to MSTP seminars, mentees will participate in the INSPIRE seminar series where they will learn skills directly from MSTP fellows/graduates in science communication, hands-on clinical skills, and professionalism. Mentees will also collaborate with other INSPIRE fellows to create and execute a service event over the course of the program. Additionally, UM-INSPIRE students will receive Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) preparatory materials courtesy of UM-INSPIRE funding sources. The UM-INSPIRE program will culminate in a research day in which mentees will present their research to their INSPIRE peers and other members of the MSTP community at the end of the winter semester.
In order to apply for the UM-INSPIRE program, applicants must be a current University of Michigan undergraduate entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year for the 2025-2026 school year. Students who will be graduating in 2025 are not eligible to apply. Applicants belonging to groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in biomedical research are strongly encouraged to apply. This includes individuals from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, individuals with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (such as family annual income below established low-income thresholds, or an educational environment that has inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.) Students must have 100 hours of supervised research experience to be eligible and be able to provide a letter of recommendation from their supervisor.
The UM-INSPIRE program is designed to help underrepresented undergraduate students learn more about the path of a physician-scientist and enhance readiness for applying to MD/PhD programs. The longitudinal program is aimed at students who have a passion for thinking about scientific questions and ideally have some amount of basic and mechanistic research experience related to medicine. This program is not intended for students seeking clinical research experience on human subjects or who are not considering either medicine or research as a career. The UM-INSPIRE program encourages exploration of non-traditional research opportunities in public health, the social sciences and humanities but does not directly provide resources to engage with these fields. The UM-INSPIRE program is offered by the University of Michigan Medical Scientist Training Program trainees and administration.
* UM-INSPIRE is closely affiliated with the UM-SMART summer undergraduate research program. At this time, students may not participate in both UM-SMART and UM-INSPIRE. Students who have previously applied but were not accepted to UM-SMART are encouraged to apply to UM-INSPIRE.
* Please contact um-inspire@umich.edu with questions or concerns.