SRM Medical College Students Selected for ICMR STS Programme and HRD Research Grants
Chennai: Fifty-eight students from SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre have been selected for various Union Government research programmes and grants.
The selections include 45 MBBS students under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Short-Term Studentship (STS) Programme and 13 postgraduate students under the Human Resource Development (HRD) Scheme of the Department of Health Research.
The 45 MBBS students, pursuing their first and second years of undergraduate medical education, will undertake research projects covering clinical, laboratory, diagnostic and community-oriented areas. Their projects include research related to perioperative care, metabolic disorders, public health, pharmacology and emerging biomedical concerns.
The selected undergraduate students represent 18 departments and will carry out their projects under the mentorship of faculty members.
Around 1,770 students from different parts of the country applied for the ICMR STS Programme. More than 250 students from the institute applied, with 45 being selected, resulting in a selection rate of 18%.
The ICMR STS Programme provides undergraduate medical students with an opportunity to gain early exposure to structured scientific research and develop research aptitude, critical thinking and an evidence-based approach to healthcare.
In a separate selection, 13 MD/MS postgraduate students from SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre were selected for Union Government grants under the HRD Scheme of the Department of Health Research.
The institution recorded a 52% selection rate, compared with a national average of 20%. More than 6,500 applications were received for the programme from across the country.
The funded thesis proposals are from the departments of Microbiology, Anaesthesia, Community Medicine, Biochemistry, Ophthalmology, General Medicine and Paediatrics. Each selected proposal will receive Rs 1 lakh in grant support.
Dr. P. Satyanarayanan, Pro-Chancellor (Academics), SRMIST, said students are encouraged to engage with research and real-world scientific questions alongside their medical education.
Dr. Jayanthi, Dean, Medical, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, said research exposure during undergraduate medical education is important in developing analytical and evidence-based approaches among medical students.
The latest selections involve research projects across multiple medical disciplines and include both undergraduate students participating in the ICMR programme and postgraduate students receiving support for their thesis proposals.