Internal Medicine Research Residency Program

Van Andel Institute Graduate School and the Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center  (GRMERC) have teamed up to provide clinical and research training to yield physicians that are exceptionally well-fit for careers as basic science and clinical research scholars. Students will earn a Ph.D. degree in molecular and cellular biology, and licensure and board eligibility in Internal Medicine. The program complies with the Research Pathway of the American Board of Internal Medicine. 

If you are a student completing your medical school training who has a passion for biomedical research or translational medicine, this program is for you. You already understand the clinician’s perspective on human disease; our innovative curriculum and programmatic flexibility will develop your research skills. We seek to recruit exceptional scholars to help advance our mission of translational research to improve human health and well-being. 

Training Plan

A unique training plan will be developed for each participant based on prior research experience, time of entry into the program, and the particular clinical residency. Typically, participants will complete two years of clinical rotations (to permit licensure), followed by Ph.D. program classroom and research experiences. Clinical experiences will continue throughout the research phase, and will typically account for 20 percent of the time. 

Stipend and Benefits

Stipend and benefits will match those for other residents in GRMERC programs. During clinical years, the internal medicine residency program will cover these costs; during Ph.D. training years, VAIGS will cover them.

Application Process

Students who are interested in the Internal Medicine Research Residency Program should follow the same application steps as those applying for the VAI Graduate School Ph.D. program.

Typical Research Residency Program
VAI Graduate School Ph.D. Program