Hi everyone
I’m an international medical student currently studying at an international medical school, and I’ll be a rising second-year medical student this summer. Anyways so I'm looking for opportunities in the US during this upcoming summer that are related to medicine or healthcare.
For some background, my GPA is fairly decent, my research experience is very limited, mostly basic knowledge such as understanding study designs and general concepts, but no experience yet (this doesn't get better at later stages in my home country as medical research awareness and application is extremely limited and not even well-structured here (you might find a uni professor with 5 publications and even others with 1-3)), therefore I'm trying to explore options abroad and specially in the US. I’m also aware that I don’t yet have the knowledge or experience to do any advanced stuff.
Because of that, my main goal is not to find something highly competitive, but build some connections for the future from early on if possible. I’d be interested in opportunities that would allow me to interact with students, researchers, or physicians in the US (though if none of these accept students in my situation it's fine, might give me other options it's okay).
I’m open to a wide range of options; beginner-friendly research exposure programs, public health or global health programs, short academic courses, summer schools, etc...
Another important factor is visa support. Since I’m an international student, I would need a program that either offers visa sponsorship or at least provides official documentation that can support a US visa application.
My budget is around $2,200 for the program itself, not including visa, flights, or accommodation.
Would be thankful for any recommendations or if someone has been in a similar situation, I’d really appreciate your comments. Pointing me toward specific programs would be extremely appreciated too!
Thanks in advance!