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Medical Student Research
New to Research? Start here!

How to find a mentor

Are You a Patient?

We wish we could hand-pick mentors for every student, but it is very hard to keep up with so many ongoing projects across campus. Research is a dynamic process and students, residents, and fellows come and go at various times. So available research positions change weekly, if not daily. As such, the work and time that it takes students to find a research mentor and project vary widely.

The process generally involves students searching for potential mentors (see below) then reaching out to them via email to connect about research.

A sample email might look something like this:

“Dear Dr. Riddell,

I am a first year medical student interested in medical education research and technology. I came across your recent work about the role of podcasts in medical education. I am fascinated by your findings that residents can learn as much from podcasts that they listen to while driving or exercising as they can listening in an undistracted setting. I would love to meet with you to chat about your research, and see if there are any projects that you’re working on that could use the help.”

Resources for Finding Mentors

  • The Research Opportunities Database (Log in with your usc.edu account) is a list of faculty that are or were actively recruiting for projects. Even if the projects look old, it is a high-yield list because it is faculty who have recruited students in the past and are highly likely to take students again.

  • Use CTSI Profiles to search for faculty by specialty area of interest or keywords.

  • Abstract books showcase the research presented by Keck students at the annual Medical Student Research Forum. These collections are a fantastic resource for exploring the breadth of research happening at Keck.

    You can browse abstracts by specialty or use “Control + F” to search for specific keywords.

    In each abstract, the student’s name is bolded for easy identification, and the lab’s Principal Investigator (PI) is typically listed as the final author.

  • Keck’s centers and institutes are hubs of groundbreaking research and collaboration, covering a wide range of specialties and disciplines. The Institutes and Centers page is a great place to start identifying potential mentors whose work aligns with your interests.

  • The Research Programs page highlights a wide range of Keck labs, covering various specialties and research areas. Each lab is linked to more detailed information, making it easy to explore their focus.

  • If you’re looking for personalized guidance in navigating research opportunities, finding a mentor, or exploring the best fit for your research interests, Fiaba and Dr. Riddell are here to help!

    Book a Research Advising Appointment