Category Archives: School of Health Sciences

Paid Research Opportunity in Translational Spine Research at CofC/MUSC for the 23/24 Year

by plasmatinc

Dr. Sarah Porto from the School of Health Sciences is looking for students interested in gaining laboratory experience as a research assistant.

The Opportunity: Students will gain experience with biomechanics research techniques, including tensile testing, biochemical analysis, as well as cell and molecular biology techniques, such as immunohistochemistry, histology, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Students will analyze experimental results using appropriate software and also help prepare experimental results for presentation and publication.

  • Research assistants will be expected to commit at least 4 hours per week during the academic year and at least 20 hours per week in the summer.

Benefits:

  • A salaried position funded by NIH ($11/hr)
  • MUSC and Clemson networking opportunities
  • Honors Immersed and Bachelor’s Essay potential
  • Training from the PI will be provided if these techniques are new to the applicant

How to Apply: Contact Dr. Porto with any questions; to apply, read below for the full application instructions and submit all application materials to Dr. Porto (portosc@cofc.edu).

If you are interested, please send questions and the following materials to Dr. Porto (portosc@cofc.edu):

  • Updated Resume (or CV) that includes extracurricular activities and employment plans (for academic year and summer)
  • Year of Study, Major, Academic Achievements
  • Unofficial Transcript
  • Statement of Interest (500 words) that includes:
    • 1) Previous research experience, if applicable
    • 2) What can you offer to the project and how long would you like to work on this project?
    • 3) What would you like to get out of this experience?
    • 4) Why are you interested in participating in this (or any) research?
    • 5) Please describe your specific time management strategies.
    • 6) Any other relevant information that you would like to share.

Apply today to become an American Cancer Society CARES Clinic Volunteer

by plasmatinc

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is seeking CofC students to assist with a pilot cancer navigation support program, ACS CARES (Community Access to Resources, Education, and Support).

The program: A multi-channel approach that leverages digital, telephonic, and in-person support to provide direct, individualized, non-clinical assistance to improve the cancer experience. Students will provide people with cancer and caregivers non-clinical navigation support throughout the cancer journey.

Benefits: Work directly with a healthcare team, gain clinical hours, and positively impact the experience of a patient going through cancer treatment.

Timeline: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the five CofC spots are filled. The program begins in September and lasts through the Spring ’24 semester.

Interested? Read below for more details, and then email Dr. Permenter (falkb@cofc.edu) for more info.

Program Overview

For nearly 30 years, ACS has viewed patient navigation as a critical strategy in reducing health disparities across the cancer continuum, with demonstrated effectiveness at removing barriers and increasing access to care through the provision of coordinated, patient-centered support.

With over 1.9M people diagnosed with cancer annually, the goal of the American Cancer Society Navigation Support Program is to provide people with cancer and caregivers direct, individualized, in-person non-clinical navigation assistance that delivers timely information to reduce distress, resources to mitigate barriers to care, and emotional support to improve the cancer experience.

ACS is looking to recruit college/graduate students to become ACS CARES: Clinic Volunteers at nearby participating health systems to provide people with cancer and caregivers non-clinical navigation support throughout the cancer journey. ACS will provide the Clinic Volunteers with support (including continuing education and technical assistance), and data collection tools to maximize project outcomes.

ACS CARES: Clinic Volunteer Role

ACS CARES: Clinic Volunteers are college/graduate students who are ACS-trained to provide people with cancer and caregivers direct, individualized, non-clinical navigation assistance throughout the cancer journey. These volunteers will be placed at health systems and will:

  • Meet with patients and/or caregivers while they are waiting for their appointment or during chemotherapy infusions Utilize the validated NCCN-based ACS social determinants of health needs assessment and distress screening tool to identify and document concerns and barriers to care in a secure platform (NurseNav)
  • Assist patients and/or caregivers draft questions to discuss with their provider Take notes for patients during clinic appointments
  • Conduct follow-up calls to assist patients and/or caregivers in accessing ACS and health care system information and resources
  • Does NOT include accessing or documenting in the health care system EMR

Volunteer Benefits

  • Time spent will count towards clinical hours
  • Course credit may be available (to be determined on a case-by-case basis)
  • Receive specialized navigation support training, including patient privacy, how to function in the health care setting, and coordinating with professional navigators
  • Have dedicated ACS staff members to field questions and provide support

Volunteer Requirements

  • One year commitment is required (academic school year) Must be available for one 4-hour shift per week
  • Additional time commitment should be allotted for volunteer meetings and continued training/education Ages 18 and up
  • Actively enrolled as a student at the partnering college/university Comfortable using technology
  • Access to a computer with reliable internet access Pass background check
  • Complete application, interview, and required ACS training plus fulfill continued learning requirements throughout volunteer term
  • Must comply with hospital-based training and health requirements (i.e., on-site training, vaccination requirements, etc.)

Training

ACS CARES Clinic Volunteers will work directly with patients, caregivers, and providers, and thus are in close contact with patient health information. Extensive training will be provided to ensure you feel comfortable and prepared to perform this role. The self-paced training curriculum is to be completed virtually over the summer prior to beginning in the clinic. There will also be one full day of in-person training which will likely occur during syllabus week. Continuing education will be provided during division meetings throughout the semester.

How to Apply

  1. Visit the ACS Volunteer Community page and select the pilot site you are interested in applying
  2. You will be prompted to complete a Volunteer Community
  3. After creating your profile, you will be able to access the
  4. Submit your application as soon as
  5. Qualified applicants will be invited to participate in virtual

Please note: The application evaluation and interview process is on a rolling timeline.

Leadership Positions

Leadership opportunities will be available for experienced volunteers after the 2023-24 pilot year of the ACS CARES program concludes. These positions will work closely with ACS CARES staff to recruit, select, and manage new clinic volunteers, and facilitate communication with health care providers to expand the ACS CARES program to new clinic locations. Applications for these leadership positions will open in the spring of 2024.

Questions? Email A CSCARES@cancer.org.

Applying to Med School? Sign up for an Alumni Mentor from USC School of Medicine Greenville

by plasmatinc

The USC School of Medicine Greenville Medical Mentor Program is a group of CofC alumni and current USC SOMG medical students who want to help current CofC students navigate the med school application process.

You’ll be paired with a current USC SOMG student who will serve as a mentor throughout the application cycle.

  • Establish a one-on-one relationship with someone who understands the stress and uncertainty that comes with applying to medical school.

The Support You’ll Get: Mentors will answer your questions and assist with various aspects of the medical school application, including but not limited to: Personal statements / Interview prep / The overall AMCAS application.

  • You do not have to be applying to USC SOMG to be a part of Medical Mentors, but you should be actively applying in the current cycle.

Interested? Fill out this form to be paired with a mentor. Contact uscsomgmentors@gmail.com with questions.

MUSC Neuroscience Research Internship for Underrepresented Students

by plasmatinc

The MINDS (MUSC Internship in Neuroscience for Diverse Scholars) is a brand new neuroscience research internship for undergraduate students.

The Opportunity: Interns will work directly with their faculty mentor to develop and carry out an independent research project in their mentor’s lab.

  • Interns will receive guidance on creating Individual Development Plans, crafting curriculum vitae, personal statements for graduate school applications, and will have opportunities to present their research
  • The program is a paid internship ($17/hour, 40 hours per week over the summer and part-time, 10-15 hours per week during the school year)

Great Fit For: Pre-Health / Individuals from populations underrepresented in neuroscience or from disadvantaged backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.

How to Apply: Check out the online application for more details; applications and will be reviewed on a rolling basis with our first class of interns starting on June 1.

Paid Research Opportunity in Wildlife Epidemiology for the 2023/24 Year

by plasmatinc

“Working in the Hart Lab has been a great experience! Our whole team is really fantastic and we’ve got a great dynamic, too, which makes the whole experience really enjoyable and a comfortable place to ask questions and learn!” –Tita Curtin ’24

Why should you consider research with the Hart Lab?

  • You’ll do the actual research!
  • Gain experience with marine field work, lab work, statistical analysis, presentations, and more!
  • It’s NIH-funded and offers networking opportunities.
  • Honors Immersed and Bachelor’s Essay potential.
  • It’s paid!

Learn more: Click below for more details and application instructions. The deadline to apply is May 1.

Research opportunity:

I am seeking a research assistant to help with a study that will investigate microplastic and phthalate exposure in wild bottlenose dolphins and their prey.  Undergraduate students involved in this study will participate in fieldwork with the project lead (Dr. Leslie Hart, Public Health), assist with sample preparation (including fish dissection), assist a graduate student with laboratory analyses of fish and bottlenose dolphin samples, perform literature searches and reviews, curate databases, and assist with statistical analyses and the preparation of manuscripts, reports, and presentations.  The project team will meet weekly to set monthly goals, assess project needs, evaluate project status, discuss challenges, schedule deliverables, and review topic-related journal articles.  Training on statistical methods and scientific methods will occur throughout the academic year during these weekly meetings.

Timeline and time commitment:

Students interested in this project should be prepared to assist with research during the 2023-2024 academic year and summer 2024.  Preference will be given to students interested in assisting for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years (including summer 2024). Because sample collection, processing, and analysis will occur throughout the year, students will dedicate approximately 10 hours per week during the academic year and 20 hours per week during the summer months, at $11/hr.

Students engaging in this research opportunity will:

  1. Participate in field research
  2. Prepare biological samples for laboratory analyses
  3. Develop new ecotoxicological laboratory skills
  4. Perform a targeted literature search and develop a literature matrix
  5. Formulate testable research hypotheses and perform statistical analyses
  6. Enhance their scientific writing and presentation skills

Student Testimonial:

"Working in the Hart Lab has been such a great and rewarding experience. It has allowed me to learn what it is like working in a professional environment while still letting me develop and learn the skills I need in said environment. It's also given me experiences I never thought I would get to have during my time as an undergrad student like give an oral presentation at the South Carolina Public Health Association Annual Conference. speaking of experiences, it has been so rewarding to be able to get some experience with hands-on research rather than lectures or one and done labs. It's really satisfying to improve at things like dissecting fish by doing it again and again instead of doing it once in a class and never again. The best part of this experience has to be working with this team though. everyone in this group has been very supportive of each other. If I'm ever struggling or need assistance with something, I know that I can just ask for some assistance or some advice and I'll receive it." –Eric Conger '24

"Working in the Hart Lab has been a great experience! I’ve been able to really develop a professional network from getting presenting our research at both the South Carolina Public Health Association Annual Conference and the CofC expo. I’ve also had the opportunity to really dig in and understand our research by getting my hands dirty. From fish dissections, to digesting the organic tissue and physically counting microplastics under a microscope, we’re really the ones who are doing it all – not just doing data entry or analyzing the work someone else has done. Our whole team is really fantastic and we’ve got a great dynamic, too, which makes the whole experience really enjoyable and a comfortable place to ask questions and learn!" –Tita Curtin '24

Qualifications:

  • US Citizen
  • Full-time student at the College of Charleston
  • Research assistants will be expected to commit at least 10 hours per week during the academic year and at least 20 hours per week in the summer
  • Research assistants will be expected to travel (domestically) for fieldwork (funding will be provided)

If you are interested, please send questions and the following materials to Dr. Hart (hartlb@cofc.edu) by no later than May 1, 2023

  • Updated CV or Resume that includes all extracurricular activities and employment plans (for academic years and summers)
  • Year of Study, Major, Academic Achievements
  • Unofficial Transcript
  • Statement of Interest (500 words) that includes all of the following:
    • Previous research experience, if applicable
    • What you can offer to the project and how long would you like to work on this project?
    • What you would like to get out of this experience?
    • Why you are interested in participating in this (or any) research?
    • Please describe your specific time management strategies
    • Any other relevant information that you would like to share

Publish Your Creative Work in Sanctuary, A National Honors Journal

by bartlettjd
Calling all Honors creatives! Submit your artistic work!

Sanctuary is a national literary and arts journal highlighting creative work by Honors students from across the southeastern U.S. The publication is seeking poems, stories, and visual art created by Honors College students.

Submissions can be made online, with an application deadline of April 14, 2023.

To view previous work published in Sanctuary or to learn more about the submission process, check out SanctuaryJournal.com.

MUSC Research Opportunity in the Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology

by bartlettjd

Dr. Naohiro Yamaguchi’s lab in the Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology is looking for a student intern to perform research on calcium signaling.

This project focuses on the regulatory mechanisms of calcium release channels, called ryanodine receptors, and the functional consequence of their dysfunctional activities that leads to human muscle diseases.

Rising Sophomores and Juniors who are interested in conducting their independent research for their Bachelor’s Essay or Honors Immersed and can stay during the summer are particularly preferred.

Interested students should contact Dr. Yamaguchi, current Honors College Junior Millar Elferdink, or Current Honors College Senior Mac Kral for more information.

Graduate School Application Q&A

by bartlettjd

Dr. Geslain and Joelle Reich are hosting a Grad School Application Q&A on Monday, April 3rd, at 6:00pm in RITA 152.

Joelle is a Senior at CofC majoring in Biology and minoring in Biomedical Physics. Joelle will start her Ph.D. in Biochemistry at Rutgers University next fall.

The Q&A will be centered around applying to Ph.D. programs and preparing for interviews.

All students are welcome – underclassmen planning on joining a graduate program are specifically encouraged to attend!

Please reach out to Dr. Geslain for more information!