Research Training Period 2
Students have two choices for their second research training period:
- MED-MMP2A Research training period 2 - 27 weeks (39 EC) + MED-MMLT Literature Thesis (6 EC)
- MED-MMP2B Research training period 2 - 31 weeks (45 EC)
The choice for one of these options, as well as the description of the workplan, are part of the individual study plan and must be submitted to the Board of Examiners.
The second internship covers 27 (MED-MMP2A) or 31 weeks (MED-MMP2B), including the description of the results (~2 weeks) in the form of an article (see below). The second internship is performed abroad (preferred for Dutch students and international students who did their BSc in Nijmegen, optional for international students who did their BSc outside Nijmegen), at the RIMLS (optional for international students who did their BSc outside Nijmegen) or at another Dutch university or institute (optional for international students who did their BSc outside Nijmegen). When students start their second internship, they should have concluded their first internship already. The internships are arranged by the students themselves. The choice of institute and subject of the internship should be discussed with the mentor and/or an RIMLS PI who is in the applicable field of research. The dates of the practical research period will be flexible to allow for the different elective choices of the student.
Planning:
Students who started in September 2015:
| course | start (week) | end (week) | start (date) | end (date) |
| MMLT | 48 | 51 | 23-11-2015 | 18-12-2015 |
| MMP2A | 2 | 28 | 4-1-2016 | 10-7-2016 |
| MMP2B | 48 | 28 | 23-11-2015 | 10-7-2016 |
Learning objectives second Research Training Period
The topic and techniques in the second research training period should be different from those of the first training period. The learning objectives for the second research training period internship are similar to those described for MMP1 (paragraph 4.3.4). In addition, at the end of the second research training period, you are able to:
- organize an (inter)national research training period, i.e. to identify a suitable topic, research workgroup, supervisor, and possible funding for the second training period
- actively participate in formulating the design of the research project
- execute the research project in a more independent manner than in the first training period
- organize your work in such a way that the results can be used to write a publication
- concisely write a report in the form of a publication. You are able to distinguish key experimental data from supplementary data
How do I find an internship?
Students define their research interests and discuss these with their mentor and/or research training period 1 supervisor. The internships are arranged by the students themselves, on Blackboard a guide for arranging the second internship is available. Depending on the interests, students contact possible supervisors themselves, sometimes aided by one of the RIMLS scientists.
The choice of institute and subject of the internship should be discussed with the mentor or an RIMLS PI who is in the applicable field of research. If for an internship a laboratory is chosen which has been visited by a previous MMD student, students have to check with the programme coordinator the experiences about guidance in this place. On Blackboard (UMCN-SCMMD-2007 UMCN MMD Student Community \ Information Internships \ International Internships) a list of visited laboratories on the level of individual PI's is available for this purpose.
The workplan for the second research training period is made in collaboration with the prospective host institute.
Since the second research training period is generally performed outside The Netherlands, many things need to be arranged. A checklist can be found online at http://www.umcn.nl/Onderwijs/Studenten/InternationalOffice/Pages/default.aspx. It is also possible to make an appointment via e-Stip with Ms. Cindy van Dijk of the Radboudumc Student International Office.
Funding
Performing your research training period abroad may cost extra money. In some cases, it costs a lot of money, especially when visiting US laboratories. Several organizations have scholarships for research internships. The conditions for these scholarships are different for each scholarship. Please check the conditions early. A list of organizations who provide funding can be found on:
Information at UMC International Office
- http://www.umcn.nl/Onderwijs/Studenten/InternationalOffice/Pages/BMS_MMD.aspx
Information at Radboud University
Information at Nuffic
- http://www.beursopener.nl/content/index.asp
- http://www.nuffic.nl/nederlandse-studenten/studiebeurs/beurzen
Some extra options are indicated on Blackboard in the MMD Student Community.
Please note: Several funding bodies are limited to give scholarships to students with a Dutch nationality. The fact that a website is only available in Dutch is not a good indication!
Administration research training period 2
When an internship subject and Internship Supervisor are chosen, the student writes the workplan and completes the form "Workplan internship", in consultation with the putative supervisor and MMD mentor. The workplan is signed by the student and is submitted to the Board of Examiners two weeks before their meeting in September, October or November. If the Board of Examiners does not agree with the workplan, this will be communicated soon after the meeting and the student needs to resubmit the workplan.
In addition an official Traineeship Agreement (available in the Blackboard student community) should be signed by the international internship hosting university/supervisor, the MMD programme director and the student and added to the internship workplan before submission of this workplan to the Board of Examiners.
Should major changes apply to the internship research question, a motivated request with an adapted workplan should be submitted to the Board of Examiners for approval within four weeks after you and your supervisor decided that adjustment was necessary. The Board of Examiners cannot approve of any changes after an internship has been completed. The title that is approved by the Board of Examiners will be noted on the Master’s certificate. In case an internship title needs to be changed, for example as a result of unexpected research outcome, a new title with motivation has to be submitted to the MMD Board of Examiners secretary.
After completion of each research training period, an online evaluation is sent to the student.