The objectives of the Mizzou VRSP are to expose veterinary students to research career opportunities through a mentored research experience and develop a much-needed community of veterinary research scientists.
For additional veterinary student research opportunities, see the Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars, other funding opportunities, and ASLAP Summer Fellowship in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Comparative Medicine Research.
Stipend
- 8-week Mizzou student program: $4,520
- 10-week out-of-state or Pre-vet/AgScholars 10-week program: $5,650
Duration
- Mizzou CVM students: Project development and implementation, mentor meetings and a weekly “Foundations in Veterinary Research and Discovery” course will begin in March. Full-time research activity will occur during the entire summer break from June-August.
- Students from other veterinary professional programs or Pre-Vet/AgScholars: The program schedule is flexible with a 10-12-week requirement.
Description
The Mizzou VRSP will include:
- An intensive mentored research experience to include state-of-the-art experimental methodology.
- A weekly topics course that gives a broad exposure to biomedical sciences.
- Social events to foster interaction and sense of community.
- An opportunity to attend and present at the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium (NVSS).
- Field trips to local and regional research institutions
Eligibility
Students who have:
- Completed at least one year of veterinary school or are within two years of entering veterinary school through one of Mizzou’s guaranteed admissions programs (Pre-Vet or AgScholars).
- An interest in exploring research.
- Maintained a GPA of 2.5 or higher (IP 1–3 for Mizzou VM1 students).
- Additional eligibility notes:
- Students currently enrolled in a DVM/PhD or DVM/MS program should discuss options with the VRSP Program Directors.
- Students enrolled in or planning to enroll in the DVM/MPH program are eligible, and VRSP participation may apply toward MPH internship requirements.
- International applicants should be enrolled in AVMA-recognized veterinary schools or colleges and, upon graduation, be eligible for the AVMA’s ECFVG program.
Scholar expectations
- Commit full-time to the program (40 hours/week).
- Perform a hypothesis-or discovery-based research project.
- Participate in the “Foundations in Veterinary Research and Discovery” course (scholars from other schools will begin participation upon arrival).
- Attend and present their project at the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium.
- Present results of experiments at events within Mizzou the CVM, including the VRSP Data Blitz in the Fall Semester and CVM Research Day in the Spring.
Jan. 16, 2026: Mentor prematch deadline.
Feb. 6,2026: Deadline for applications.
Feb. 2026: Scholar interviews, selection and orientation meeting.
March-August 2026: Foundations in Veterinary Research and Discovery course meets weekly for 1-2 hours. Weekly mentor/scholar meetings to outline project/goals and begin research.
April/May 2026: Welcome social gathering for scholars from other schools.
May 2026: Participate in CVM Research Day.
May 2026: Mizzou scholar research outlines due; outlines discussed in small group sessions as part of foundations course. Out-of-state scholar outlines due two weeks after their arrival.
June 2026: Full-time in laboratory work begins (Mizzou scholars).
August 2026: Participate in National NIH-Boehringer Ingelheim Symposium. Field trip to Boehringer Ingelheim Midwest Research Center – Fulton, Missouri.
October 2026: Present results at Mizzou VRSP Research Data Blitz.
May 2027: 2026 Mizzou scholars’ presentations at 2027 CVM Research Day.
This formal topics course meets weekly from March through August and features a mix of discussions and interactive sessions covering experimental design; data presentation and analysis; poster preparation; and planning for a research career, including meetings with a panel of post-DVM graduate students. The course also includes instruction in the responsible conduct of research, a visit to an industry research farm, laboratory tours, and social outings.
Participating mentors and their profiles, including descriptions of their research and mentoring styles, are available on the VRSP Mentor Profiles page. A visual overview of mentor selection options is provided on the Mentor Selection Process page. Applicants are expected to review the available mentors and their projects before applying to the VRSP program.
Pre-matching with mentors is encouraged. This is intended to support scholars finding a mentoring relationship that mutually fits their styles and goals but does not guarantee acceptance into VRSP. Please note that student/mentor pre-matches can be established prior to the pre-match deadline provided that the mentor agrees that they will not pre-match with a second student (unless they can support a second student stipend and activity fees or they are part of a faculty team that can support one student/faculty team member).
Mizzou scholars: Prior to the pre-match deadline, prospective scholars are encouraged to initiate discussions with mentors with whom you might like to work. It is recommended that you contact several mentors and go beyond your comfort zone with interests. If you and a mentor decide you wish to work together, send an email to mucvtmdvrsp@missouri.edu (with your mentor copied) on or before the pre-match deadline. Program directors will then send you a confirmation email. After receiving this confirmation email, on the application you may select “Yes” for the question that asks, “Have you pre-matched with a mentor and informed program directors of this mentor?”.
If you do not establish a match prior to the application deadline, never fear, there is another option. On the application list, select four mentors with whom you would like to work. An advisory committee will then determine if selected mentors are available and work with you to secure a match.
NOTE: If you would like to work with a mentor that is not on the VRSP list, contact the program directors to discuss. Opportunities to continue beyond the program are usually available through the mentor’s lab.
Scholars from other schools: Review the participating mentor list on the VRSP Mentor Profiles page and contact the program directors with a short list of mentors you are interested in working with. Scholars from other institutions should contact potential mentors to begin project planning no later than one month before their start date.
View an overview of the most recent year’s VRSP, including a schedule of planned activities.
Other funding opportunities: In addition to the VRSP, there are several other sources of possible funding that are great CV builders.
Thank you to our sponsors
Thank you to all of our sponsors who provide critical funding for our scholars’ research experience. In the past, these have included: Boehringer Ingelheim, IDEXX BioAnalytics, the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Morris Animal Foundation, the Kent Tomazi Memorial Research Fund in Veterinary Medicine, a gift from Dr. Natlie Rabiner, and the Mizzou College of Veterinary Medicine.