The body of knowledge that undergirds clinical practice is constantly growing, and and many professional school students and providers contribute to it by conducting research. Gaining experience with research as an undergraduate student, in any area of study, can provide foundational knowledge about how research is conducted, as well as introduce students to an activity that they may want to pursue in the future.
At UMBC, there are many opportunities for undergraduates to get involved in research. Please visit the Office of Undergraduate Education’s Undergraduate Research website for instructions on how to get started with research not only at UMBC, but also at locations across the country. The Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry, and Psychology each provide a list of faculty in accordance to their research interests. Students who engage in scientific research (traditional bench or clinical research, humanities or social science research) build skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork, and learning to ask for help appropriately. Research allows students to pursue their intellectual curiosity, to gain a better understanding of the scientific process, and to become more effective at communicating scientific information.
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) provides information on how to get lab experience (opens in a new tab) and maintains a list of summer undergraduate research programs (opens in a new tab) around the country. The Baltimore-Washington, D.C. corridor also offers a plethora of research opportunities at medical schools and government organizations.
Some off-campus locations where students have completed undergraduate research include:
National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD)
University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD)
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Research Faculty and Labs (Baltimore, MD)
Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (Catonsville, MD)