Our mission is to recruit and educate a wide spectrum of students from diverse backgrounds, focusing on those under-represented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), and broaden their knowledge base in the field of biomedical research, including translational, clinical and basic research; and to inspire students to pursue a career in research, medicine or allied fields, especially in Neuroscience.

We are proud to announce that the program has recently received NIH support.

Participation Includes:

• Eight-week lab placement in one of our neuroscience labs
• Neurological surgery OR observations
• Neuroscience clinical observations
• Weekly Neurological Surgery Grand Round Lectures
• Weekly Neuroscience Faculty Lectures
• Weekly Neurological Surgery Resident Education Hour discussions
• Student presentation of individual program focus
• Stipends are set by the NIH at $3,200 over 8 weeks for college students (Note: high school or recent high school graduates must be 18 years of age or older to participate.) Program sponsored housing is available for 3-4 out of area students.

Every year our department invites a group of talented and highly motivated students interested in Neurosciences to participate in our 8-week Neuroscience Summer Scholars Program. This consists of a lab placement, attendance at Neurological Surgery Grand Rounds, OR observations, Friday talks by faculty to this group, and a final student PowerPoint presentation and graduation in front of family, friends and mentors. Founded in 2008, the program has placed 192 high school and college undergraduate students (including 9 Rainier Scholars) age 18 and older from 90 different schools in the program. We have had over 1500 applicants from 43 states and territories. Students have participated in 20 different laboratories hosted by 24 faculty members. They have attended over 148 unique Neurological Surgery Grand Rounds presentations and observed over 500 surgical procedures and clinical shadowing opportunities by following 23 different attending neurological surgeons and 2 different neuro-hospitalists at three different UW-affiliated hospitals. Students have also participated in 92 weekly student group presentations by 27 different faculty members. Although still a very young program, over 25 students from earlier classes have gone on to neuroscience, medical school, or Ph.D. neuroscience programs. We actively encourage students of color and limited means to participate and are proud to be an intern site for the Rainier Scholars program.

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• You must be 18 years of age or older by the first day of the program
• You must be either a US citizen or have permanent residency status. Visa holders are not eligible.
• University/college undergraduate students may apply if they are 18 years of age and older and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Graduate students are not eligible.
• High School students may apply if they will be 18 years of age or older by the first day of the program and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• You must have current immunizations (measles/mumps/rubella, varicella, hepatitis B and COVID) and TB test results through the program end date.
• Out of area students who indicate on their that application they will require program sponsored housing will be provided UW Housing, but will be responsible for their own meals and transportation.