Eligibility and Application

To be considered for the cardioSURF program, an applicant:

• Must be a rising junior or senior who attends a university in the United States
• Must be a United States citizen or permanent resident of the United States
• Must possess a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
• Must have completed introductory courses in biology, chemistry, or physics
• Must be able to devote yourself to full-time research for the duration of the 10-week cardioSURF program (Tuesday, May 27 – Friday, Aug. 1)

Additionally:

• Applicants who express commitment to careers in science will be preferred
• Previous independent research experience is not required
• Students from underrepresented groups (including, but not limited to, ethnic minorities, first generation college students, students from low income areas, students with disabilities, LGBTQ+, etc.) are strongly encouraged to apply

Application

Applications for the American Heart Association Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC cardioSURF program are available here.  All application materials will be due Feb. 14, 2025.

Please note, a completed application package includes the following:

• General information about the applicant
• Three short essays describing:
  • Your participation experience in independent research
  • Why you are interested in cardiovascular research
  • What you hope to gain from participating in the AHA Fralin Biomedical Research Institute cardioSURF program and how it might contribute to your career
• An up-to-date unofficial transcript and GPA (16MB maximum file upload)
• A recommendation letter / faculty letter of support from a faculty member at your current institution, or a previous faculty mentor emailed to smythj@vtc.vt.edu