Newswise — Raymond Mirasol, a third-year student at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, has been accepted into the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) " National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Scholars Program. He is one of 42 medical, dental and veterinary students chosen to participate in the year-long program at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Md., where he will have an opportunity to strengthen his scientific skills and prepare for a possible career in biomedical research.
"I am very proud to congratulate Mr. Mirasol on this deserving opportunity, as he has consistently exhibited outstanding leadership qualities throughout his medical school training," said Peter S. Amenta, MD, PhD, dean of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. "This exceptional program provides an enhanced understanding of how scientific endeavors are an integral part of the clinical practice of medicine."
"I feel incredibly privileged and honored to be chosen to participate in the HHMI-NIH Research Scholars Program. The education and experience will be essential in understanding how discoveries within the laboratory are translated into treatment for patients," said Mr. Mirasol. "I wish to acknowledge the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School's Office of Student Affairs for its support and for providing me with the opportunity to pursue this activity."
Mr. Mirasol said he is looking forward to immersing himself in a community of some of the finest scientists in the country. "I hope to not only expand my scientific knowledge and build a solid foundation for future research, but also to learn the art of being a physician-scientist from some of the premier mentors in the country," he said.
A graduate of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Mr. Mirasol grew up in Jersey City, NJ. As a medical student, he has served as a member of the Student Interest Group in Neurology, the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association and the American Medical Association.
The HHMI-NIH Research Scholars Program and the HHMI Research Training Fellowships Program reflect the Institute's long-standing commitment to medical education and the specific goal of expanding the cadre of physicians and other professionals who combine clinical activities with laboratory research. Students selected as research scholars often enter the program with only a general idea of what type of research they would like to do. During their first few weeks, they are encouraged to visit several of the more than 1,100 laboratories at NIH before choosing which project to pursue under the guidance of an NIH mentor.
UMDNJ-ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON MEDICAL SCHOOLAs one of the nation's leading comprehensive medical schools, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in education, research, health care delivery, and the promotion of community health. In cooperation with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the medical school's principal affiliate, they comprise New Jersey's premier academic medical center. In addition, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has 34 hospital affiliates and ambulatory care sites throughout the region.
As one of the eight schools of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey with 2,500 full-time and volunteer faculty, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School encompasses 22 basic science and clinical departments and hosts centers and institutes including The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, and the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey. The medical school maintains educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels for more than 1,500 students on its campuses in New Brunswick, Piscataway, and Camden, and provides continuing education courses for health care professionals and community education programs.
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