During clinical training at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, our MD degree students complete an eight-week scholarly project. This allows you to delve deeply into a field of medicine that matches your professional interests.

With the guidance of experts from your chosen discipline and a faculty mentor, you develop a research plan and prepare and submit a scholarly project. You are encouraged but not required to submit your work to a professional journal.

Upon completion of your scholarly concentration, you do a self-assessment, reflecting on how your research experience enhanced four related core competencies:

• professionalism
• ability to read and understand related literature
• ability to formulate a hypothesis and design an experiment
• proficiency in technical skills such as data gathering and analysis 

You will spend eight weeks of your scholarly project pursuing research.

Areas of Concentration

The Areas of Concentration (AoC) is a longitudinal research experience to provide medical students with exposure and mentorship on fundamental skills of biomedical research and scholarship.

Review the Areas of Concentration (a Kerberos ID is required for login) to learn more about available research opportunities and how to register.

There are five Areas of Concentration:

• biomolecular medicine
• clinical and translational research 
• healthcare innovations and health systems science 
• data-driven medicine and technology 
• population, global health and public policy

The AoC consists of 2 core research-focused experiences:

• Summer Research Fellowship (SRF)
• Scholarly Projects

AoC Roadmap

Areas of Concentration Tracks

To personalize each student’s experience, multiple research tracks are available.

• 4-Year Track (Class of 2025 & 2026):
  • Scholarly Project: 12-week research project
  • Expectations:
    • 4-Year Pathway – requires submission of a research report

    Students may apply for:

    • Research Distinction – requires first-author publication in addition to a research report
    • Research Honors* – requires a written manuscript, oral defense, and a 20-week research project (can include the 6-week Summer Research Fellowship)

• 3-Year Track:
  • Scholarly Project: 8-week research project
  • Expectations:
    • 3-Year Pathway – requires submission of a research report

    Students may apply for:

    • Research Distinction – requires first-author publication in addition to a research report

• Dual Degree “Plus One” Track:
  • Scholarly Project: Capstone project as part of a one-year master's program in one of our six available Dual Degree programs
  • Expectations:
    • MD/Master's – requires submission of a research report

    Students may apply for:

    • Research Distinction – requires first author publication in addition to completion of a master's capstone project
    • Dual Degree Honors* – requires an oral defense in addition to completion of a master's capstone project

• Research Year “Plus One” Track:
  • Scholarly Project: 9-12-month Research Year
  • Expectations:
    • Research Intensive – requires written manuscript draft

    Students may apply for:

    • Research Distinction – requires first-author publication in addition to the written manuscript draft
    • Research Honors* – requires an oral defense in addition to the written manuscript draft

• MSTP Track:
  • Scholarly Project: Doctoral dissertation
  • Expectations: Written thesis and oral defense

Please note that Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) students are excluded from the scholarly project requirement.

*Honors designation will be reflected on your transcript and diploma*