Axiom Mentor


Deadline: 04/15/2025 8:00 AM EDT

The Surgical Undergraduate Research Fluency Plus (SURF+) Program at Valleywise Health is a ten hour per week, summer research commitment designated for undergraduate students with a strong interest in pursuing a career in the healthcare field. The goal of this program is to provide training for future professionals in biomedical and clinical research that will lead to improvements in healthcare as a whole.

SURF+ students will not only be paired with a mentor, but also introduced to the many complexities of research, including the management of academic studies, implementation of clinical trials, adherence to federal regulations/policies, and understanding ethical concerns pertaining to the treatment of human subjects.

Projects at Valleywise are designed to differ from year to year, and duties assigned to the students are dependent on the student’s specific project and level of research fluency. Responsibilities in the past have included, but not limited to data collection, data entry, data analysis, and research paper drafting under the direction of a Valleywise mentor.

Mentors at Valleywise are eager to teach the SURF+ students, enabling them to get the most of their experience here. The Department of Surgery at Valleywise oversees many ongoing research initiatives and includes the Arizona Burn Center and the Trauma Center. The program has successfully expanded beyond the Department of Surgery to include projects with other departments

In addition to research, SURF+ students are given the unique opportunity to supplement their research projects with professional development. Past activities have included:

Observing surgeries
Shadowing residents and surgeons on trauma call
Attending lectures
Networking
Presentation prep

Gaining first-hand exposure, students are engaged in multiple activities designed to enhance their knowledge of various fields pertaining to medicine and research. At the completion of the internship program, students have an opportunity to demonstrate their learning with a presentation on their individual project findings. In the past, the student’s results have even been published! This distinct experience prepares students to competitively pursue a career as a physician, physician’s assistant, public health worker, or other healthcare professional.

Requirements:
To participate in this program you must be:

Currently enrolled as an undergraduate student
Able to dedicate at least 10 hours per week to research for the duration of the program
Have a strong interest in pursuing a career in the healthcare field

No previous experience is necessary, but positions are limited and thus competitive. Applicants should have a minimum of 2.75 GPA, but priority is given to students who have demonstrated academic excellence and obtained previous experience within the healthcare field.

Timeline:

January 16, 2026: Applications become available online
March 13, 2026: Application submission deadline
March 27, 2026: Acceptance offers sent out via e-mail
April 3, 2026: Deadline to accept internship offer
May 17, 2026: Deadline to submit onboarding documents to Valleywise Health
June 5, 2026: Orientation day
August 7, 2026: Research Symposium and end of SURF+ Program

Compensation:

This internship is unpaid, however the student is provided with an invaluable opportunity to gain shadowing experience in a hospital setting. We require that students devote at least ten hours to their research per week, therefore they have the ability and time to seek employment elsewhere while enrolled in this program.

Please provide the requested information below and click the "Questionnaire" link to complete the questionnaire. You will also need to upload the following to your application account:

Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
Copy of transcript (unofficial or official)
Personal Statement of Interest outlining experience, skills, goals, and motivation (1-page limit, double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman, black font color, 1-inch margins)

Please provide two references (no family/friends) with the SURF+ Applicant Evaluation (Reference) Form below. Your references may also write a letter of recommendation, however it MUST be accompanied by the evaluation form. At least one of your references must come from an instructor/professor who can assess your academic ability; their evaluation must be submitted via their .edu email address directly to SURF@valleywisehealth.org .

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