Biomedical Research Scholar Award
High school seniors interested in the IIT/Rush Combined Honors Engineering and Medicine Program and who plan to major in engineering, computer science, molecular biochemistry and biophysics, or other acceptable majors at IIT can apply for a Biomedical Research Scholar Award. The award carries a research stipend plus living expenditures so that first-year students can conduct research at IIT during the summer between their freshman and sophomore years. The purpose of this program is to give students research experience before they apply to the IIT/Rush Program.
Note: Admission to IIT and receipt of a Biomedical Research Scholar Award does not guarantee admission to the IIT/Rush Combined Honors Program in Engineering and Medicine program. Students must formally apply to the program in August after their sophomore year.
Entrance Requirements
Selection for a Biomedical Research Scholar Award is highly competitive. All application materials must be received (not postmarked) in the Office of Admission by January 15. Applications received after January 15 will not be considered for a Biomedical Research Scholar Award. The required application materials are:
- Application for undergraduate admission.
- Secondary school report. Supplemental application information (direct link to pdf of supplemental application)
- Two letters of recommendation.Test scores (SAT or ACT).
- Transcripts.
Selection Process
The Freshman Biomedical Research Scholar Award Program has a four-step application and review process:
- Candidates are considered for undergraduate admission to IIT.
- Upon admission to IIT, a selection committee reviews applications for the award.
- Award finalists are invited to interview at IIT in early March.
- The selection committee evaluates finalists based upon interview and application materials. Students selected for awards are notified by March 15.
Selection Factors
Candidates for this award must have completed four years of math (with calculus), four years of English, and three years of science (including chemistry, biology and physics). Finalists must have excellent test scores, rank in the top 10% of their high school class, and demonstrate their interest in medicine and research through hospital volunteer work, scientific research and participation in scientific and medically oriented programs.
The Freshman Biomedical Research Project
Biomedical research projects involve teams of IIT students and faculty. Typical projects are part of larger, ongoing work in the faculty member�s laboratory. Before projects are assigned, students interview with faculty members who match their research interests in the fall semester of their freshman year.
Students begin their research projects in the summer (June 2-July 27) and continue the work through the fall semester of their sophomore year. Usually, students will work on clearly defined and well-circumscribed problems that are tractable, and for which a reasonable degree of closure can be obtained in two semesters. Students are required to write a detailed research summary, which will be submitted with their application to the IIT/Rush Combined Honors Program in Engineering and Medicine. In addition, students will be required to present their results at the IIT undergraduate research conference in May of their sophomore year.
Possible projects that could be available include new approaches to medical imaging; artificial vision; application of synchrotron radiation to medicine; molecular biology; bioinformatics; design and analysis of pharmaceuticals; and solid pharmaceutical dosage forms.
IIT/Rush Combined Honors Engineering and Medicine Program