Youth Neurology Education and Research Program

To be eligible for the program applicants must meet all the following criteria. If have any questions about your eligibility, please email youthneurology@mgh.harvard.edu.

1. At the time of the program be a rising high school senior, recent high school graduate / rising college first-year, current undergraduate student, or recent college graduate.
2. Be living or studying in Massachusetts at the time of the program. (Student interns will be required to provide a Massachusetts address for the duration of the program.)
3. Have an interest in learning more about neurology-related career fields and topics.
4. Be available to work full-time for the duration of the program.
5. Be willing to comply with Mass General Brigham's occupational health requirements including vaccinations.

Additionally, we encourage youth who are current or past participants of programs focused on supporting the academic development of youth from marginalized or disadvantaged communities. The following is a list of examples but is not exhaustive:

• Biogen Community Lab Adventures in Biotechnology High School Lab Program
• Biogen Foundation STAR Initiative
• MGH Center for Community Health Improvement Youth Programs, including: MGH Youth Scholars, MGH College Scholars, MGH Summer Jobs Program and MGH STEM Clubs
• MGH Center for Diversity and Inclusion Summer Training Research Program
• Biomedical Science Careers Program
• Harvard Medical School Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership, including: Explorations, Reflection in Action Building Health Communities, Advanced Placement Biology Hinton Scholars Program, Bridge to Advanced Placement Biology, Health Professionals Recruitment and Exposure Program, Project Success for High School Students, Project Success for College Students, Harvard Catalyst Summer Clinical and Translational Research Program and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Exceptional Opportunities Program
• Other Massachusetts programs for student underrepresented in STEM, including but not limited to: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Red Sox Scholars, Boston University Summer Training as Research Scholars Program, Brigham and Women's Four Directions Summer Research Program, Brigham and Women's STARs Program, Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences program, Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and UMass Boston Summer Programs to Advance Research Careers, Harvard University Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program, MIT Summer Research Program, Tufts University Building Diversity in Biomedical Science Program, the University of Massachusetts Medical School Summer Undergraduate Research Program, Upward Bound, Beacon Academy and Health Resources in Action LEAH Project and the BioBuilder High School Apprenticeship Challenge.

Program Length: This is a full-time, 40-hour per week, paid summer internship that lasts 6 to 8 weeks, for high school and undergraduate students, respectively. Students are expected to follow a 9:00 am to 5:30 pm schedule, Monday through Friday. Although, there are some slight exceptions to this depending on standard operating hours for the lab the intern is assigned to. Interns will not work on either June 19th or July 4th which are both recognized as holidays at Mass General Brigham. Both of these days off will be unpaid.

Bootcamp: Both high school and undergraduate interns will spend the first few days of the internship completing “bootcamp”. This programming is focused on onboarding summer interns, with dedicated time to help assure that interns succeed in the professional expectations of this intensive summer experience. Duties include completing required research and clinical trainings, engaging in interactive sessions on skills needed to excel in a laboratory setting, networking, and start of 1:1 mentoring.

Mentored Research: Student pairs (one undergraduate and one high school student) will be assigned to a lab under the mentorship of an MGH Neurology faculty member. Over the course of the summer, interns will complete work in the lab under the supervision of their mentor and other lab members. All interns will work on current, ongoing research projects. Interns will not create their own summer research project.

Weekly Didactics: Students will engage in three weekly didactic sessions led by leading neurologists, neuroscientists, and other professional, with the goals of building interns’ knowledge of neurology while exposing them to an inspiring diverse group of leaders in the field. There may also be occasional field trips, social lunches, and other events that are intended to build community among interns, and to provide additional networking and educational opportunities.

Final Presentations: Student pairs will create final presentations at the end of the program to present their summer research experiences to peers, mentors, family, and the MGH Neurology department.

Work Location: The internship is intended to be fully in-person. In the case of a public health emergency such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, internships will be held virtually. Work locations will vary depending on the lab interns are matched with. Interns may work at the MGH Main Campus, in the Charlestown Navy Yard, at Assembly Row in Somerville, or another lab location within Boston, Cambridge, or Somerville. Interns will be made aware of their lab assignment, and therefore lab locations, prior to the first day of the internship. While this internship is intended to be fully in-person, at the discretion and approval of lab mentors, some work or program components may be conducted virtually (i.e. working from home).

Longitudinal Support: Completion of the MGH Youth Neurology Education & Research Program is only the beginning of the support program staff provide to interns. All alumni receive longitudinal support after program completion in the form of longitudinal career advising, networking, application support, professional funding, resume building, and anything else they may need support with.

When completing the application, you will need:

• Your personal, demographic, and contact information.
• A CV/Resume to upload as a PDF.
• A statement of interest (250-word limit). Please describe your (1) academic and career interests AND (2) what attracted you to and what you hope to accomplish by participating in this specific internship.
• Two references: You will only need to upload the contact information (email and phone number) of each reference. References will only be contacted if you are chosen to interview.
• Submit the program application linked below. You can save this application and come back to it at any time before the deadline.

Eligibility

1. In the summer, I will have just graduated from high school, will I be considered an undergraduate or high school intern?
   You will be a high school intern.
2. I do not have any prior research experience, am I eligible?
   Yes! We encourage applicants who do not have any prior research experience but are interested in learning more about neurology.
3. Is there a GPA requirement to apply?
   No! We welcome applications from all eligible individuals regardless of GPA.

Application

1. Are letters of recommendation required?
   No letters of recommendation are required to apply. Although, we do ask that you provide the name and email address for two references. References will only be contacted for applicants who are offered an interview.
2. What information should I include in my resume?
   Consider adding the following information (when applicable to you): work and volunteering experience, extracurriculars, interests, honors, awards, relevant coursework, and skills.
   Check out these articles for more resume guidance: How To Craft a High School Resume in 6 Steps and How To Write an Internship Resume That Will Get You Hired.
3. I submitted my application, what are the next steps?
   We will carefully review your application and ask that you kindly be patient as we do. In March 2024, we will invite some applicants to an interview. Applicants will be informed of their application decision (accepted/waitlisted/rejected) in early April 2024.

Program

1. Does the Program provide transportation support to interns?
   Interns are expected to provide their own transportation to/from the internship. The MGH Main Campus is conveniently located off the Charles/MGH red line stop, and most other lab locations can be accessed using the free MGH Shuttle Service.
   
   If you have any concerns with getting to/from work, we are more than happy to help determine the best method of transportation, and to help you navigate the shuttle service and the T.

Other

1. I have a different question, who should I reach out to?
   Email us at youthneurology@mgh.harvard.edu, we would be happy to answer any questions!

• Shibani Mukerji, MD, PhD Selected as Rappaport Fellow
  Dr. Mukerji was awarded the 2021 Rappaport Research Scholarship in Neurology from the Phyllis and Jerome Lyle Rappaport Foudation.
• Former Program Coordinator Madison Ellin Begins Medical School
  Madison Ellin, our 2020 Program Coordinator, began her first year at Boston University School of Medicine with the traditional white coat ceremony. Madison was also first author on a paper, co-authored with Dr. Mejia and other Youth Neurology Education & Research Program participants, published in the research journal Neurology.
• Altaf Saadi, MD, MSc Wins 2021 Sylvia Ferrell-Jones Award from YW and 2021 "40 Under 40" award from NMQF
  Dr. Saadi was honored by YW Boston for her commitment to antiracism and her work in the MGH Asylum Clinic and with the Physicians for Human Rights Asylum Network, among other accomplishments. Separately, she was also honored by the National Minority Quality Forum as one of 40 key minority health leaders under the age of 40.
• Alazar Ayele shares his journey to STEM and the Biogen Community Lab
  Program partner Alazar Ayele, manager of the Biogen Community Lab, shares his journey to a STEM career.
• Lidia Moura, MD Honored as a Claflin Distinguished Scholar
  The Claflin Distinguished Scholar award from the Executive Committee on Research was established to advance the academic careers of women in science at MGH. 
• Altaf Saadi, MD, MSc Wins STAT Wunderkind Award
  Dr. Saadi has been named a 2020 STAT Wunderkind for her work helping refugees and immigrants by diagnosing and treating trauma, exposing detainee mistreatment, and making sure that clinics are welcoming to all.
• Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili, PhD Wins SFN Louise Hanson Marshall Special Recognition Award
  Dr. Sadri-Vakili was given the prestigious award for her work promoting the professional development of women in neuroscience.
• Black Journey to Neurology: INSPIRE Series Presentation by Dr. Andrea Harriott
  In celebration of #BlackInNeuroWeek, Andrea Harriott, MD, PhD, shared her personal and professional journey as a neuroscientist
• Alazar Ayele Awarded Inaugural Immigrant Leadership Award
  Program partner and presenter Alazar Ayele, from Biogen's Cambridge Community Lab, was recognized for his outreach and education work