A career in biomedical research is not for everyone. But if you love science, get a thrill out of discovery, enjoy tough problems, and want to contribute to medical breakthroughs, then a career as a Ph.D. or M.D.-Ph.D. scientist might be for you.

Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers a 10-week Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) experience for undergraduates wanting to build their skills as young scientists.

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Program highlights

The Mayo Clinic SURF Program has helped thousands of undergraduate students explore their interests in research. As a summer fellow, you will be immersed in research opportunities. You’ll gain valuable experience in the lab and work closely with your mentor on a research project designed specifically for summer students.

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Our SURF fellows tell us about the lasting friendships they made during the program and how the experience helped them with their career decision-making process.

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In addition to their lab work, fellows  also describe some of their unique experiences:

- Mentors. The daily experience of learning from Mayo Clinic faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, medical students, and others who are farther along their career paths.

- Real-world research insight and experience. The excitement of gaining hands-on experience with real-world research projects at a major medical center. And, because the questions they are studying are at the forefront of science, many students earn acknowledgment or co-authorship in articles submitted to professional publications.

- Top-notch scientists. The opportunities they had for close collaboration with nationally and internationally recognized scientists.

- Modern facilities. The chance to learn how to use world-class instrumentation in state of the art research facilities.

- Community. Great times living, learning, and working with the whole SURF community.

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We work hard to bring together a wide variety of talented, motivated students from all ethnic, geographic, educational, and economic groups.

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Applicants to the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) must at time of application opening:

• Be a current second- or third-year college undergraduate student at a U.S. college or university who will be a continuing student in the subsequent fall semester
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale)
• Be seriously considering a biomedical research career as a Ph.D. or M.D.-Ph.D. (as opposed to practicing as a physician).

*Please note, first-year college undergraduate students (defined as students who are in their first year of college after high school graduation) do not meet eligibility requirements. Also, students who have graduated with their first bachelor's degree do not meet eligibility requirements.

Non-U.S. citizen applicants

• International students who are attending a U.S. college or university as full-time students are eligible to apply.