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Short-term Research Training Experiences

Research Interns (Paid)

From the Office of the Provost of Vanderbilt University regarding interns in University Central Schools see Interns and Observers in University Central Schools.

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER:

VUMC departments requesting research interns/student observers, should email vumc.iso@vumc.org.

 

Current Process for Vanderbilt University Basic Sciences Labs.

Research Interns are students (high school, undergrad, or graduate) appointed for educational purposes only.  Persons employed to perform duties in the lab or data entry that does not involve a research plan MUST go through Vanderbilt Temporary Services (VTS).  Registered Vanderbilt students hired to perform duties in a lab or an office must go through Vanderbilt Student Employment. (This includes Vanderbilt students who are on summer, or other, break)

BRET Research Intern appointments are paid student appointments, either by Vanderbilt University or another organization, where students join a lab expressly to gain educational experience that will contribute to their careers. Usually, these individuals are 18 years old or older and currently involved in their overall educational training. This position is not eligible for employee benefits through HR. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services also has health insurance information on their website.

Students should not apply directly to the BRET office.  The BRET office does not coordinate individual students with a Research Intern appointment.

A department/division representative of Vanderbilt should coordinate the application within the department before sending the application to stephanie.richards@vanderbilt.edu in the BRET Office.

The BRET office is not authorized to approve patient contact or patient record review.

Research Interns are divided into several categories based on:

Qualification of the Student –

  • Pre-baccalaureate – These individuals have not received a bachelor’s degree at the time of starting the internship and are usually undergraduates of colleges or universities other than Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt students go through Student Employment.   If, for some reason, the intern has not yet turned eighteen, please follow instructions for minors on this summer position website.
  • Post-baccalaureate – These individuals hold a bachelor’s or higher degree at the start of the internship experience. This category also includes early arriving IGP and CPB students who will be working in a research laboratory over the summer prior to matriculation into the graduate program in August.

Method of Compensation –

  • Salary – Funding source is generally a research grant.
  • Stipend – Funding source is generally a training grant or institutional funds. There are two requirements for appointment to a stipended position:
    • The intern must belong to a program. Interns over the summer can be part of the Summer Science Academy, either within a defined track or as an independent participant.
    • The interns must be informed that their stipend is taxable and that they are responsible for reporting appropriately to the IRS. We strongly recommend that departments provide this information to interns in writing and keep a signed copy of the document for their records.

 

Faculty should consult the Business Officer of their department to determine which of the above categories would work best with their funding source(s).