Summer Undergraduate Research Internship

The Summer Undergraduate Research Internship (SURI) is a premiere summer program at the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. This 10-week program is designed to enhance interns’ understanding and provide hands-on experience in translational research.

This program is open to both high school and undergraduate interns, who are paired with faculty in translational research at Houston Methodist. Each intern will take on their own scientific research project, and at the end of the internship, they will present their findings and compete in a poster presentation competition.

Throughout the program, interns will participate in weekly seminars focused on career development and professional growth. They will also have the chance to attend didactic lectures delivered by scientists and physician researchers from Houston Methodist.

Interns receive guidance and mentorship from leaders in their respective labs, gaining valuable professional exposure through various networking opportunities. The internship offers a comprehensive experience, with interns participating in diverse social activities that enrich their summer. Some interns, in collaboration with their mentors, even have the opportunity to publish their work, with many discovering potential career paths at Houston Methodist.

We strongly encourage all prospective applicants to carefully review the requirements before applying.

Important Dates

• 2027 Program Dates: June 1, 2027 – August 6, 2027
• Application Dates: Dec. 4, 2026 - Jan. 29, 2027
• The internship programs will begin on May 26, 2026, and end on July 31, 2026. Due to the 2025-26 schedule, high schoolers may begin on June 8, 2026. A full-time commitment for all 10 weeks is required. Student workdays are 8 hours, approximately 8:30am-5:00pm, except for the July 4th holiday.

Application Requirements

• Applications must be completed in full by 12:00pm (CT), January 30, 2026.
• Undergraduate students may apply to only one of the following programs:
• Summer Undergraduate Research Internship
• Fields Rosenberg Surgical Fellowship
• Kadoorie Cardiovascular Internship
• High school juniors and seniors may apply to the High School Emerging Researchers Internship only.
• The link to the summer internship application portal will be visible on the program webpages starting Dec. 2, 2024.
• The following items must be completed in the application portal:
• Demographic information of student
• Short essay questions (see below)
• Upload of current resume
• Upload of current transcript (official or unofficial)
• On the application, you will enter the email addresses of your two recommenders, and we will send them the Letter of Recommendation form to complete.
• Once you have completed your application and we receive your letters of recommendation, you will receive an email confirming that all required materials have been received for your application to proceed to the next steps in the selection process.
• We will notify you in March regarding your selection for the 2025 Summer Research Internship Program.
• Documents should be less than 4 MB each and in Adobe PDF format only.

Application Essay Questions

• Essay questions for Undergraduate Research and the High School Emerging Researcher Experience (250-word limit):
• Explain why you would be a great candidate for the summer research program and how it would benefit your career goals.
• Please describe any previous research or laboratory experience you may have.
• Please briefly explain any challenges you have experienced in your academic career and how you overcame them (optional).

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is there a minimum age to participate in the high school internship? Applicants must be completing their junior or senior year and be 16 years of age by the start of the program (May 26, 2026) to be eligible for the High School Research Internship Program. The Summer Undergraduate Research Internship reserves a limited number of slots for high school students. High school students are not eligible to receive a stipend for participation in the Summer Research Internship Program.

• Where does the internship take place? The internship is held at the main Houston Methodist Hospital campus in the Texas Medical Center, located at 6565 Fannin St. Houston, TX 77030.

• What field or specialty will I be observing and working in? The application will ask you to list your top three specialty preferences. While our selection committee will work hard to match accepted students with their preferences, placement in the various research fields is based on availability and lab capacity limitations.

• Can I apply if I'm not a US citizen? Currently, only US citizens, Legal Permanent Residents and Foreign Nationals who already hold a legal visa status (F-1, J-1, EADs) are eligible to apply to any of the internship programs.

• When will I be informed of the stipend amount for the internship? If you are selected for the internship, the stipend amount will be included in your acceptance letter.

• Does the program offer housing or transportation assistance? Participants will be responsible for securing their own housing arrangements. However, after admittance into the program, participants will be provided information on housing options available to them. For commuting, interns may choose to receive either a Smithlands parking pass or a paid QCard for using the Houston Metro service.