First Year Fellowship Program

The Department of Surgery has established a six-week fellowship for MS1 students currently enrolled at the Perelman School of Medicine during the summer following their first year. This unique program affords pre-clinical students the opportunity to interact one-on-one with a Penn surgeon, learning about his or her day-to-day activities and helping out in the operating room, office, and laboratory. Project specifics are left to the discretion of the surgeon and student, although a summary of all projects and student experiences must be presented at the Agnew Fall Research Symposium the following school year. Below is a list of current and previous Agnew Summer Fellows:  

• Current Agnew Summer Fellows
• Previous Agnew Summer Fellows

The department provides a stipend for the six-week period, and applications are judged on the strength of the proposed projects as well as the students’ expressed interest in surgery. Applications are considered during the spring of the first year. Please forward your application and supporting materials, including your CV, to Dr. Ari Brooks and the current Agnew Surgery Society Research Committee Co-Chairs.

This year, there will be up to ten sponsored positions, with a stipend of $1,000 for the six-week fellowship term. A $500 travel expense will be covered if the project leads to a national presentation. One position is reserved for a project in global surgery, described below.

Agnew Summer Global Surgery Fellowship Program

According to the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, five billion people lack access to safe and affordable surgical care. Accordingly, the Agnew Surgery Society has teamed up with the Center for Global Health and Penn Global Surgery Group to establish a position for students interested in summer research in global surgery. The student selected as the Summer Global Surgery Fellow will have access to additional funding through the Penn Center for Global Health to cover travel expenses in addition to the Agnew Summer Fellowship funding for work performed before and after travel. The application is identical to that for the Agnew Summer Fellowship, but additional paperwork may be required once accepted.

To Apply:

1. Applicants must be first-year medical students currently enrolled at the Perelman School of Medicine and in good academic standing at the time of application submission and award distribution.
2. Use the shadowing program to explore various areas of surgical practice and connect with potential mentors. Research must be performed with an investigator in one of the divisions of the Department of Surgery.
3. Finalize your faculty mentor and contact Dr. Ari Brooks for pre-approval of your mentor by February 1.
4. Submit your application by March 1.