2024 REaCH-LABS Internship Program at The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital

The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Research Experiences in Childhood Heart, Lung, and Blood Sciences (REaCH-LABS) is designed to provide meaningful summer opportunities for undergraduate students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine (URiM). Each annual cohort will include 5 new participants who are eligible for up to two years in the program (yielding a total of 10 participating students each year). Our exceptional research mentorship faculty, representing diversity in both science and demographics, is comprised of over 20 NIH-funded principal investigators. Participants will be situated within a dynamic ecosystem of pipeline programs at Nationwide Children’s Hospital spanning high school research internships through T32-funded post-doctoral programs.

The curriculum will include:

1. An immersive summer research experience in a research team conducting NHLBI priority research
2. Assignment of a near-peer (medical or graduate student) mentor to support readiness for transition to graduate or medical school
3. Weekly Heart of the Matter research seminars providing exposure to active research projects and clinical careers
4. Weekly professional development workshops focused on medical school applications, MCATs, interviewing, and other relevant topics.

Research team experiences will include meaningful mentored projects that build skills and produce a product suitable for presentation at the close of the internship. Our program design will generate well-qualified graduates who add to the diversity of researchers and research questions, promoting health equity for children and the adults that they will become.   

Application deadline: February 2, 2024

Program Dates:

Start - Late May 2024
End - Late July/Early August 2024