The best way to learn more about our Department and about ophthalmology is to become involved in research.

The Department will offer summer fellowship stipend of $2000 for expenses and supplies for a medical student to pursue a research project. Students first must find a project and a mentor for the summer project. Then the student will need to write up the project proposal with a budget and submit it to the Department of Ophthalmology Research Committee. The committee will award the stipends based on the quality of the submitted proposal.

Additional funding besides a summer stipend for medical student research is available. Students first must find a project and a mentor for the a project. Then the student will need to write up the project proposal with a budget and submit it to the Department of Ophthalmology Research Committee. The committee will award the stipends based on the quality of the submitted proposal

I have attached for your review a current list of projects that our faculty has compiled for medical students. In addition to the project title, the faculty has provided 1 to 3 references on the subject of the project for your review and a brief over view of the project.

Please look over the list and read the appropriate references on projects you think you might be interested in.

The projects are of two types:

1.(Short Projects) These projects should be completed in a relatively short time frame say 2 to 3 months. A student could start it on a 4 to 8 week rotation and then write the project up at a latter time. The type of projects that would be appropriate might be:
a. Case reports.
b. Chart reviews on particular projects asking a limited and specific question.

2. (Long Projects) These projects would be a more long range projects which would take 6 to 12 months. The student would be taking off from medical school to do the project.
a. The projects may be prospective clinical projects with a well-defined question, mentor, research plan and budget with funding defined.
b. The project may be a laboratory project with a well-defined question, mentor, research plan and budget with funding defined.

The procedure to follow to become involved in a research project is as follows:

1. I will send to the student a list of projects as defined above. The student will have to decide whether they want to be involved in a short or long project. The student must also define the time when they would like to be involved in the project. No reason to get involved in a project if a faculty will be gone on that project for an extended period of time

2. The student should look over the entire list of projects and do reading about the projects that interest them.

3. Once the student has decided on one or two projects maximum that they are interested in, the student should make an appointment with the particular faculty sponsoring each project.

4. After they have talked with the faculty, they can decide which project they would like to do and then contact that faculty to start the process.

The student should not come talk to a faculty about a project until they have completed the appropriate reading. This way the faculty and student can make appropriate use of the time to discuss the project.

We hope that you will decide to become involved in research in the Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science. We know that it will be a very rewarding experience for you.

Thank you.

John L. Keltner, M.D.
Professor and Chair Emeritus
Director of Research and Faculty Development
Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science
Neurology, and Neurological Surgery
UCD School of Medicine
4860 Y Street, Suite 2400
Sacramento, CA 95817
916 734 6073