Summer Trainings and Educational Projects
Research Projects
One of the leading characteristics of the Koç University School of Medicine is to place a particular importance to scientific education and research. For this end, students are encouraged to conduct research at research laboratories of the university or clinics from their early years on.
Moreover, courses and conferences on scientific foundations of medicine are held; research methodology trainings are given, and support in original research project development is provided, as well as internship, congress, and seminar participation opportunities in Türkiye and abroad are provided both in the academic year and the summer term.
In accordance with the university’s main philosophy, studies at the intersection of life sciences, engineering sciences, and social sciences with medicine are particularly given importance.
In line with this objective, our students are absolutely expected to take an active part in a research project from their second year at the university. In the frame of this compulsory practice, 20% of their weekly academic hours is dedicated to research. On-going research projects with student vacancies at the School of Medicine and all other departments are presented as short briefings to our second and third year students by relevant academic staff, at the beginning of each academic year.
As of the 2018-2019 academic year, socio-medical researchers are also included to projects available to students. Thanks to the program designed in collaboration with the Koç University Social Impact Forum (KUSIF) specially for the School of Medicine, our students can assess the social impact of the project they conduct in various areas with Non-governmental Organizations under the guidance of KUSIF and Social Medicine Committee members. Students working and completing these projects are granted KUSIF Social Impact Assessment Certificate at the end of the year. Like the presentations of laboratory researches, these projects are presented as short briefings by KUSIF experts and project coordinators of NGO’s, again at the beginning of each academic year to our second and third year students.
Following these presentations, within a week, our students are required to inform the Office of the Dean about in which project they want to take part. Wednesday for 2nd grades and Tuesday for 3rd grades are designated as “Research Time” all day long. They are expected to conduct their research related works in these time slots.
Every year, generally in April, “Research Days” are organized, a 2-days activity during which students selected by the Student Research Committee present oral and poster presentations. Following the presentations, three best oral and poster presentations are selected and awarded.
Publications produced as the result of these studies by our students are examined and archived by the Office of the Dean. Please see outputs of KUSOM students under publications.
Summer Internships
In addition to allocated research hours during the academic year, our students are encouraged to work at laboratories in the summer term as well. They receive guidance on lab work in Türkiye and abroad in their areas of interest.
Also, some financial support for summer internships is provided to our students. Every November-December, School of Medicine Students Exchange Committee sends a form to students asking information about their current projects, areas of interest, former laboratories they worked outside KU if any, as well as institutions they are planning to go in the summer.
