Category: Research

What is the P.A.S.S. Program?

P.A.S.S. stands for Pipeline for Aspiring Surgical Scientists. The program offers Honors College students an immersive 10-week experience under the mentorship of faculty in the Department of Surgery at MUSC’s College of Medicine. Interns get to experience the life of a surgical scientist, with opportunities to observe surgical procedures, shadow surgical faculty, participate in laboratory research, contribute to the development of cancer therapies, conduct literature reviews, and more!

What are the Benefits?

Gain real-world experience in laboratory and surgical settings, develop lab and clinical skills, work with faculty mentors, and participate in the type of activities that can bolster an application to MD, MD/PhD, or MD/MS programs.

The Internship Experience

PASS interns spend 10 weeks immersed in laboratory and/or clinical research, all under the mentorship of Department of Surgery faculty members. 

The exact experience is tailored based on an intern's career goals and the expertise of their internship mentor. Recent PASS program interns have spent their summer…

• Observing robotic and laparoscopic surgeries in the operating room.
• Shadowing surgical consultations.
• Conducting kidney transplant research.
• Helping to develop gene therapies to improve pancreatic cancer treatments.
• Completing a literature review of adolescent bariatric surgery.
• And more!

Internship Requirements

• Commit to working full-time (40 hours/week) for 10-weeks (exact dates will be determined based on the lab you work with)
• Participate in the Honors Summer Enrichment Program, including pre- and post-summer workshops and cohort activities

Funding

PASS interns are automatically accepted into the Honors Summer Enrichment Program, which will provide them with a stipend for living expenses up to $4500 (participation in the Honors Summer Enrichment Program is required of all PASS interns).

Who Should Apply

This opportunity is ideal for aspiring medical scientists considering a career in academic medicine (particularly those interested in surgical fields). For those thinking about pursuing an MD/PhD or MD/MS, this is a great chance to gain practical experience and bolster your application credentials.

To be considered, applicants must be a current Honors College student currently in good standing.

Application Process

1.) Apply to the PASS Program by Sunday, February 15 at 11:49 p.m. EST.

Applications are to be completed using the PASS Program application portal online. To complete your application you will be asked to…

• Upload an up-to-date professional resume or CV
• Upload a copy of your unofficial transcript
• Write a statement of intent (500 words). Statement should discuss academic and career goals and explain, in specific and persuasive terms, the importance of the knowledge and skill gained from participation in the PASS program to academic and career development. Prior research experience should also be discussed. Note: If the student is intending to enroll in summer courses or be employed, he/she must describe how course work, employment and any other commitments will be balanced with the PASS program expectations. Students are not permitted to enroll in more than one course during the project period.

2.) Applicants who are selected as finalists will be contacted in early March to arrange a formal interview with MUSC Dept. of Surgery faculty. At that time finalists will be asked to submit a formal application to the Honors Summer Enrichment Program.

Questions about the application process? Contact Honors@cofc.edu.

The Norris lab at MUSC is offering a summer internship for an Honors College student to participate in ongoing cardiovascular research.

• The intern will be supported by the Kendra Springs ’23 Memorial Research Award, a $4500 summer stipend.
• The internship is loosely scheduled to take place from June 2 – July 25. The exact dates will be determined upon acceptance into the internship program.

The Research

The Norris lab has over 25 years of experience understanding genetics of syndromic and non-syndromic diseases like mitral valve prolapse (MVP), aortic stenosis, bicuspid aortic valve diseases, and cardiomyopathies.

This particular summer research internship will focus on the lab’s ongoing research into cardiovascular development.

Specifically, the lab is investigating the regulatory pathways and cell-to-cell interactions in the developing heart, focused on protein expression and interactions within and between fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes and their effect on cell proliferation and maturation.

Researchers on the project are currently involved with analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing data as well as performing further molecular studies on mice to determine the pathophysiology.

The ultimate goal of the research is to elucidate some of the mechanisms behind heart maturation and development. 

Application Materials

Upload the following application materials through the online application form by Sunday, February 15 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

• Statement of Intent: Briefly discuss your academic and career goals. Your response should outline why this area of research interests you and what you are hoping to achieve from the experience.
• Updated resume/CV.
• Unofficial transcript.

Funding

The internship is supported by the Kendra Springs '23 Memorial Endowed Research Award, which will provide the intern with a stipend for summer living expenses up to $4500.

The Kendra Springs Memorial Endowed Research Award has been created through the generosity of Clark and Julia Springs and many family members and friends in memory of Kendra Springs. Kendra’s family aims to support internship opportunities for Honors College students who exhibit Kendra’s drive for finding new treatments and cures for cancer. Kendra was a bright light and a constant inspiration. Her ability to tackle complex research questions to make an impact in people’s lives was impressive and her passion for her studies was palpable and unrelenting. Her contagious smile and her quiet, yet unparalleled passion for finding a solution for those with rare diseases will be forever missed.

Kendra was an Honors College student who studied chemistry at the College of Charleston. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Kendra successfully completed an internship at the Norris Lab at the Medical University of South Carolina. Kendra passed away on July 12, 2023.

• The award recipient is also automatically accepted into the Honors Summer Enrichment Program.
• To receive this award, recipients must be a current College of Charleston Honors College student in good standing.

The BLOCKS Program
Building Learning Opportunities for Cancer, Knowledge, and Success

The Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina is offering a research program that connects College of Charleston students with impactful, hands-on research experience throughout the 2026/27 academic year.

The Research

MUSC's Hollings Cancer Center is one of 72 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers in the nation and the only one in South Carolina. Their mission is to reduce the cancer burden in South Carolina and nationally through innovative research, exceptional education and training, multidisciplinary patient care, statewide cancer prevention programs, and progressive public policy transformation.

Students in the BLOCKS Program will gain hands-on experience working in ground-breaking cancer research labs. Multiple Hollings Center labs are participating, and students deemed a good fit for the program will have a chance to interview with mentors for a spot in their labs. Learn more about the participating labs.

Application Materials

The deadline to apply is Sunday, February 15 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Students interested in the program should submit a program application. The application will ask them for:

• Statement of Intent: In 500 words or less, briefly discuss your academic and career goals. Your response should outline the following:
  • Any prior research (or related) experience.
  • What you hope to achieve from participating in the BLOCKS program.
  • How the knowledge and skills gained from the BLOCK program would influence your academic and career development.
• Research interests in which you indicate which labs you'd be interested to work with.
• An updated resume or CV.
• An unofficial transcript.

Students will also have the option to upload a letter of recommendation if they choose to do so. A student's candidacy will not be penalized or devalued if you do not upload an LOR. The letter is simply a chance to provide additional context should you deem it relevant. Worthwhile recommendations are most likely to be written by the following:

• Faculty who are familiar with your science coursework or research skills.
• A scientist/clinician at another institution who has mentored you in a research experience. 

Applicants selected as finalists will be contacted in early March for a formal interview with MUSC Hollings Cancer Center faculty.