Summer Undergraduate Research Internship (SURI)

Summer Undergraduate Research Internship (SURI)

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.

Program Overview

This 10-week program is designed to enhance interns' understanding and provide hands-on experience in translational research.

Important Dates

2027 Program Dates: June 1, 2027 – August 6, 2027

Application Dates: Dec. 4, 2026 - Jan. 29, 2027

Program Details

Student workdays are 8 hours, approximately 8:30am-5:00pm, except for the July 4th holiday. Full-time commitment for all 10 weeks is required.

Application Requirements

• Applications must be completed in full by the stated deadline
• Demographic information of student
• Short essay questions (250-word limit)
• Upload of current resume
• Upload of current transcript (official or unofficial)
• Two letters of recommendation
• Documents should be less than 4 MB each and in Adobe PDF format only

Essay Questions

• 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).

Eligibility

• US citizens, Legal Permanent Residents and Foreign Nationals who already hold a legal visa status (F-1, J-1, EADs) are eligible to apply
• High school applicants must be completing their junior or senior year and be 16 years of age by the start of the program
• Full participation required; cannot start after the program begins
• Students cannot participate in the same program more than once
• Currently enrolled college seniors may apply

Specialty Placement

The application will ask you to list your top three specialty preferences. While the 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.

Housing and Transportation

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.