2026 SUMMER RESEARCH INTERNSHIP

The Queen’s Medical Center (Queen’s) was founded in 1859 by Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV, to provide desperately needed medical services during a period when the introduction of epidemic diseases decimated nearly 90% of the Native Hawaiian population. Queen’s remains highly committed to its core mission, “To fulfill the intent of Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV to provide in perpetuity quality health care services to improve the well-being of Native Hawaiians and all of the people of Hawaiʻi.” Our vision is to provide superior patient care that is continually advanced through education and research. As part of its strategic plan, Queen’s prioritizes clinical and translational research, especially in the fields of cancer, neuroscience, cardiovascular disease, gastroenterology, nursing, trauma, outcomes, and Native Hawaiian Health.

Description of Program

The Summer Research Internship (SRI) is an eight-week program designed for undergraduate college students interested in medicine and research. This program is sponsored by the Queen’s Office of Research & Development, Sponsored Programs Office.

The main components of the SRI program are:
1. Participation in a research project under the guidance of a Queen’s mentor 2. Didactic research education
3. Clinical job shadowing
4. Tours of UH-JABSOM and facilities
5. Cultural activities relevant to Native Hawaiian Health

*Queen’s reserves the right to make changes to the program without prior notice.

Program Goals

The SRI is a comprehensive educational program that provides a unique and invaluable opportunity for a select number of students each year. Many graduates of the SRI program have presented their research at national conferences, published in peer-reviewed journals, and gained acceptance to accredited medical schools and other graduate programs.

The major goals of the SRI program are to:
Improve interns’ skills in designing, conducting, analyzing, and presenting research.  Motivate interns to conduct research within the mission of Queen’s.
Cultivate the homegrown future healthcare and research workforce.
Expose interns to a wide range of clinical specialties and career paths.
Increase the diversity of investigators in the health sciences field.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply for the SRI program, students must meet all of the following requirements:

• Enrolled as an undergraduate student in an accredited college or university (graduates not yet
  enrolled in advanced degree programs are still eligible)

• State of Hawaiʻi resident

• Minimum 3.3 GPA

• Able to commit full-time during the 8-week program i.e., 40 hours per week between the hours of
  8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  Students from diverse backgrounds, including groups that are identified as underrepresented in health
  sciences, are encouraged to apply. See the attached addendum for definitions.
  Application Process
  Applicants must complete the 2026 Queen’s Summer Research Internship Online Application and solicit two (2) letters of recommendation by February 1, 2026. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.
  CLICK HERE FOR THE ONLINE APPLICATION: https://redcap.link/vrng2n8a
  Required attachments:

1. Personal Statement (1 page limit, minimum size 11 font, PDF file)
   Write a personal statement that describes: 1) Your background
   2) Your reasons for applying to the SRI program
   3) What you expect to gain from the program
   4) Your career and research goals
   5) How the SRI program would help in achieving those goals

2. Resume or CV (2-page limit, PDF file)
   nclude, but need not be limited to, the following information:
   o Education (starting with high school)
   o AwardsandHonors
   o Work and Related Experience (summer jobs, internships, volunteer work) - Include
   start/end dates, employer name, job title, city/state, contact phone number, primary duties
   and responsibilities.
   o Research Experience or Training - Describe your participation in all college-level
   independent research or training projects. Include start/end dates, program name,
   school/organization, city/state, summary of research/training project.

3. College academic transcript(s) (unofficial transcripts accepted)

Letters of Recommendation:

Two (2) letters of recommendation are required and must be sent directly to the SRI program.

• Deadline for Letters of Recommendation: February 1, 2026.

• Letters should be written on institutional letterhead.

• Letters should be no longer than one (1) page in length.

• Recommenders must email a PDF file to SRI@queens.org 

Review Criteria

Applications to the SRI program will be evaluated for eligibility and scored competitively based on the following:

• Academic Performance: Emphasis on grades in upper-level college science and math courses.

• Personal Statement: Clarity, effectiveness, and demonstrated commitment to career goals in
  medicine and research.

• Community Engagement: Active volunteer and community involvement is highly valued.

• Experience: Prior research or clinical experience is not required but may strengthen the application
  depending on project needs.

• Recommendations: Letters from appropriate individuals (e.g., professors or supervisors) that
  provide specific examples of the applicant’s qualifications.

• Program Impact: Overall likelihood that participation in SRI will enhance the applicant’s
  potential for a productive career in medicine and research.
  Due to the program’s rigorous curriculum and demanding schedule, applicants should demonstrate strong time management, organizational, and communication skills.
  Deadlines and Notification
  The online application and letters of recommendation must be received by the SRI program on or before February 1, 2026. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.
  Five to seven (5-7) students will be selected and notified in March 2026. Applicants may be contacted prior to this date if more information is needed. Finalists may be asked to schedule a 15-minute interview via videoconferencing with the SRI Coordinator. Those selected for participation in the SRI program must confirm acceptance by the decision deadline, March 15, 2026. Applicants will continue to be notified via email until all available spots are filled.
  Program Dates and Expectations
  The 2026 SRI program will run from June 15, 2026 to August 7, 2026. Interns must complete orientation held on June 15 and be able to commit to full-time participation for the entire eight-week program. Because of this commitment, summer coursework, employment, or other activities that conflict with the schedule are not permitted. Attendance at the final presentation is mandatory.
  Housing, transportation and parking arrangements are the responsibility of the intern. The program is a hybrid format of virtual and in-person meetings held at The Queen's Medical Center (Manamana campus) and UH- JABSOM (Kakaʻako campus). Additionally, some of the cultural activities will take place at off-campus locations.
  Interns are expected to dress, speak, and conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times during the internship.
  Compensation
  All positions are voluntary; interns will not be hired as Queen’s employees. Interns will receive a stipend of $2,000 upon successful completion of all components of the SRI program, which includes but is not limited to, attending the orientation, completing relevant training courses, participating in required lectures and other activities, meeting research project objectives, delivering a final presentation, writing a formal scientific paper, and completing evaluations of the program.

Research Education and Experience

Each intern will be matched to a Principal Investigator (PI) and a research project, usually a pilot study. Every effort will be made to consider the intern’s interests and qualifications when assigned to a project.

Interns are required to participate in the research education curriculum, which includes formal and informal lectures, workshops, and seminars. These sessions will be helpful when working directly with the PI. Interns will be given instructional support on the following tasks that are typically performed in a research project:

•  Conduct a literature review and summarize the findings. This serves to familiarize the student with the current state of knowledge as well as providing a basis for the introduction and discussion sections in the final presentation and paper.

•  Critically develop and review the data collection instrument and study procedure. The protocol must be well-designed in order to obtain the information necessary to answer the research question(s).

•  Assist in collecting study data by reviewing medical records, interviewing or testing patients,
  compiling responses, or other means.

•  Develop a computer database or continue one already established to enter and validate data.

•  Analyze data, apply appropriate statistical tests and interpret the results.

•  Prepare a final report including the documentation of study methods, analysis of findings, and
  sufficient information for project continuity following the student’s exit from the program.

•  Present research subject matter, hypotheses, and results to an audience of healthcare professionals
  and non-professionals, using appropriate audio-visual aids.
  Interns will work closely with their assigned PI on the research project; the duties to accomplish the specific project will vary. Each intern is responsible for coordinating and carrying out their assignments to fulfill the project objectives, under the direction of the PI. Interns will complete a written report describing their work and present their findings at a reception held during the last week of the program.
  Contact Information
  For questions or additional information, please contact: Lori Tsue
  SRI Coordinator
  Phone: (808)691-4121
  Email: SRI@queens.org
  Website: https://ord.queens.org/spo/sri/

   Addendum

Underrepresented Populations in the U.S. Biomedical, Clinical, Behavioral, and Social Sciences Research Enterprise (as defined in NIH’s policy notice NOT-OD-18-210.)

In spite of tremendous advancements in scientific research, information, educational and research opportunities are not equally available to all. NIH encourages institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations to enhance the participation of individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences, such as:

• Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/showpub.cfm?TopID=2&SubID=27) and the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. For more information on racial and ethnic categories and definitions, see NOT-OD-15- 089.

• Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended. See NSF data athttps://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/static/data/tab7-5.pdf.

• Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as those who meet two or more of the following criteria:

  1. Were or currently are homeless, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Definition: https://nche.ed.gov/mckinney-vento/);

  2. Were or currently are in the foster care system, as defined by the Administration for Children and Families (Definition: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/focusareas/foster-care);

  3. Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for two or more years (Definition: https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/income-eligibilityguidelines);

  4. Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree (seehttps://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018009.pdf);

  5. Were or currently are eligible for Federal Pell grants (Definition: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/fpg/eligibility.html);

  6. Received support from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) as a parent or child (Definition: https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-eligibility- requirements).

  7. Grew up in one of the following areas: a) a U.S. rural area, as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer (https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/rural-health), or b) a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services- designated Low-Income and Health Professional Shortage Areas (qualifying zipcodes are included in the file). Only one of the two possibilities in #7 can be used as a criterion for the disadvantaged background definition.

Literature shows that women from the above backgrounds (categories A, B, and C) face particular challenges at the graduate level and beyond in scientific fields. (See, e.g., Inside the Double Bind, A Synthesis of Empirical Research on Undergraduate and Graduate Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics http://her.hepg.org/content/t022245n7x4752v2/fulltext.pdf).

2026 HEI Summer Fellowship Program Ad

Fellow Applications Open for 2026 HEI Summer Fellowship Program

In partnership with ISES and ISEE, the Health Effects Institute (HEI) is excited to enter the fourth year of its summer fellowship program to encourage rising juniors and seniors to explore research opportunities in the environmental health sciences through a paid fellowship with a dedicated mentor. The program supports highly qualified undergraduate students who would not otherwise have a similar opportunity. Each summer, fellows are matched with a research mentor to pursue a tailored environmental health project. Environmental health fields are defined broadly and include environmental exposure assessment, epidemiology, and public health among other areas.

Applications for the 2026 undergraduate fellowship cohort open on November 18, 2025, and close on January 5, 2026. Undergraduate students in the United States who will be entering their junior or senior year in Fall 2026 are eligible to apply. Students should have an interest in the environmental health sciences and a need for the opportunity. Please share this opportunity with your networks and undergraduate students at your institutions. For more information about the program, please visit our website or contact fellowship@healtheffects.org.

Below is a list of available paid internship opportunities that are open for student applications. 

This list is subject to change.