EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | High School and Undergraduate Students

Summer Programs

We  have three summer programs for high school students with varying degrees of time commitment by students. Check timelines for applying carefully and contact the program coordinator if you have any questions.

► Allied Health Education and Discovery Program (AHEAD): This free, 5-day program is for Louisiana high school students interested in exploring the health career programs offered here in the School of Allied Health Professions. Participants will engage in full-day sessions that include hands-on, interactive activities within each discipline and field trips. Students will receive tips for success in college and guidance on how to pursue a professional career in healthcare. LEARN MORE about AHEAD >>

Are you going to be a Senior in High School, who is looking for a program that lasts for the entire school year?

► Science & Medicine Academic Research Training Program (SMART): The Bobbie Cates Hicks SMART program provides academically advanced high school seniors who are interested in careers related to medicine, scientific research, and biomedical engineering opportunities to engage in intensive research with medical clinicians, researchers, and academic staff. Funded by the BRF since its inception in 1997, 217 students have been trained in this program. The students enter into the lab full-time over the summer before senior year (a stipend is provided), and then come to the lab for at least 10 hours per week for the entire senior year (they receive high school science credit). Based on tracking performed in 2012, all of the students attended undergraduate university, with 79% obtaining degrees with science majors. 80% of those employed worked in science/health related fields. LEARN MORE about SMART >>

Are you going to be a Senior at Southwood High School in Shreveport, who is looking for a research program?

► Biostart Program: Eight to Ten students participate each year from Southwood High School in the Biostart Program funded locally by the Biomedical Research Foundation. One of the goals of the program is to enhance the education of a community in Shreveport. In addition to research time each morning during the fall semester, the students attend a lecture series on laboratory skills and responsible conduct in research. They also participate in a hands-on science day for 160 eighth grade students from our area to help promote STEM education. The program ends with a poster presentation. 
LEARN MORE about Biostart >> 

Summer Programs

► American Heart Association Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences (AHA SURE)
The American Heart Association SURE is a unique summer research program that supports individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) and want to help address inequities in health care delivery and outcomes related to the mission of the AHA. The program at LSUHS takes place over 8 weeks during the summer and provides a valuable mentored research experience in cardiovascular disease to undergraduate students. Additional benefits include a $6,000 stipend, travel expenses and a stipend for housing, the opportunity to attend AHA Scientific Sessions with all expenses paid, and special programming events to network with other students and AHA scientific leaders. 
LEARN MORE about AHA SURE

► Cardiovascular Undergraduate Research Initiative fOr Undergraduate Students (CURIOUS)

The Center of Excellence for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences hosts the CURIOUS program, an NIH-funded 8-week summer research program in cardiovascular disease for undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing research as part of their scientific or clinical career goals. Our principle investigators, who serve as mentors, lead research programs in several focus areas including: atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, peripheral artery disease, microvascular dysfunction in response to cardiovascular disease risk factors, stroke and the vascular/heart-brain axis. 
LEARN MORE about CURIOUS

► Pathogen-Host Interactions and Immunology Research and Education (PHIIRE) Fellowship
Through this competitive summer research program fellows will do hands-on biomedical research under the mentorship of nationally recognized faculty in infectious disease and immunology. Fellows work with their mentors to create a scientific question to serve as the focus of their project and then use the 8-week period during the summer to find experimental answers to their question, culminating in a poster presentation to share their research findings. Stipends ($12/hour) are provided to all Fellows.
LEARN MORE about PHIIRE

► Summer Undergraduate Pharmacology Experience in Research (SUPER)
The SUPER program, hosted by the LSUHS Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience is geared specifically to students interested in pharmacology research. Students participate in an eight-week program that includes laboratory research experiments and weekly lectures on topics that will help prepare them for success in research-intensive doctoral programs. 
LEARN MORE about SUPER

► RESEARCH EXPERIENCES TO ADVANCE CAREERS in HEALTHCARE - REACH
The career readiness and experiential learning opportunity supports qualified applicants eager to apply to medical school, another health professions program or a biomedical science graduate program. With a cohort size of 25 and growth opportunities, this eight-week, non-course-based learning experience provides prospective students with invaluable exposure to research. 
LEARN MORE about REACH