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Apply for a Scholarly Concentration

Application Window

🗓️ Dec. 4, 2025–Jan. 4, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET

Check back for the application!

Questions?

Check out the FAQs.

Why Apply?

The Scholarly Concentrations program offers a unique opportunity to explore your passions while earning:

  • Eight weeks of non-clinical elective credit.

  • A transcript designation.

  • Recognition at graduation.

This longitudinal program runs alongside your core medical education, beginning the summer after your first year and continuing into your third or fourth year.

Learn more about the program

Before You Apply

Meet with your lead advisor and the concentration co-directors to ensure your plan aligns with your academic schedule and career goals. Each concentration has specific expectations, locations and summer 2026 requirements — make sure you explore those below. 

Available concentrations: details and expectations for summer 2026

Available spots for 2025-2026 application cycle: 10 maximum

Home campus is Indianapolis. All coursework and scholarly work (except the online Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship and the Clinical Research Methods course) takes place at the Indianapolis campus.

Acceptance to and completion of IMPRS Summer Research Program is required for this concentration.

Be prepared to do the following during summer and fall 2026:

Dates and Details Course and Details

May 21-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous 

Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship 
May 21-June 30, 2026, offered online asynchronous Clinical Research Methods
TBD, offered in person Research Topics in Medicine
TBD Complete IMPRS research project that serves as launching pad for scholarly concentrations project

TBD fall 2026, offered hybrid

Immersion in Clinical and Patient-Oriented Research

View more information, including requirements, course descriptions and overall timeline for this concentration.

Co-Directors Contacts

Erika R. Cheng, PhD, MPA | echeng@iu.edu | 317-278-0552
Lisa G. Yazel, EdD, MCHES | smithlg@iu.edu | 317-278-0552

Available spots for 2025-2026 application cycle: 25

All coursework is online. Scholarly project locations vary by project but focus on Indianapolis area.

Be prepared to do the following during summer 2026:

Dates and Details Course
May 21-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous  Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship 
June 1-July 30, 2026, offered online synchronous
Meets six times (Tuesday or Thursday) from 6-8:40 p.m. ET 

Value Creations and Financial Performance of Health Care Systems

June 1-July 30, 2026, offered online synchronous
Meets six times (Tuesday or Thursday) from 6-8:40 p.m. ET

Business Management of the Patient Experience

View more information, including requirements, course descriptions and overall timeline for this concentration.

Co-Directors Contacts

Kyle Anderson, PhD | kyjander@iu.edu | 317-274-0150
Kate Hussey | klhussey@iu.edu  | 317-274-0832

Available spots for 2025-2026 application cycle: 10

Home campus is Indianapolis. Essential Laboratory Translation in Genomic Medicine, Effective Communications in Genomic Medicine, and the scholarly project take place at the Indianapolis campus. Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship, Genomic Medicine Journal Club, and Online Clinical Case Review are online.

Be prepared to do the following during summer and fall 2026, and academic year 2026-2027:

Dates and Details Course
May 21-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous  Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship 
May 21, 2026-July 31, 2027, offered in person Effective Communications in Genomic Medicine
May 21, 2026-July 31, 2027, offered in person Essential Laboratory Translation in Genomic Medicine
May 21, 2026-July 31, 2027, offered online asynchronous Online Clinical Case Review
May 21, 2026-Jan. 31, 2027, offered online synchronous Genomic Medicine Journal Club
May 21, 2026-Jan. 31, 2029 Work on scholarly project

View more information, including requirements, course descriptions and overall timeline for this concentration.

Co-Directors Contacts

Brittney-Shea Herbert, PhD | brherber@iu.edu | 317-274-6147

Brett Graham, MD, PhD| bregraha@iu.edu | 317-274-5607

Available spots for 2025-2026 application cycle: 6

Home campus is Fort Wayne. However, all coursework is online. The scholarly project work occurs in Fort Wayne or Indianapolis.

Be prepared to complete or start the following during summer and fall 2026:

Date and Details Course
May 21-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous  Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship 
May 18, 2026-April 9, 2027, offered online asynchronous Population and Public Health Approaches to Aging
May 18, 2026-April 9, 2027, offered online asynchronous Health Care Integration and Healthy Aging
Aug. 3, 2026-April 9, 2027, offered online synchronous (a.m. and p.m.) Journal Club
Summer 2026 Work on scholarly project

View more information, including requirements, course descriptions and overall timeline for this concentration.

Co-Directors Contacts

Bob Sweazey, PhD | rsweazey@iu.edu | 260-257-6863

Leslie A. Hoffman, PhD | lesahoff@iu.edu | 260-257-6842

 

Available spots for 2025-2026 application cycle: 10

Home campus is Muncie. Coursework is both on the Muncie campus and online. The scholarly project work typically takes place in communities around the Muncie campus, although in some cases arrangements can be made to complete all or part of a project at other locations.

Be prepared to do the following during summer 2026:

Date and Details Course
May 21-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous  Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship 
May 19-Aug. 1, 2026, offered online asynchronous Introduction to Public Health
May 19-Aug. 1, 2026, offered in person Lifestyle Medicine

View more information, including requirements, course descriptions and overall timeline for this concentration.

Co-Directors Contacts

Larry Fromm, PhD | lfromm@iu.edu | 765-751-5111

Michael Litt, PhD | mlitt@iu.edu | 765-751-5110

Lynn Witty, MD | lwitty@iu.edu

Available spots for 2025-2026 application cycle: TBD

Home campus is Bloomington and all concentration work (except the online Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship course) occurs in Bloomington.

Be prepared to do the following during summer 2026:

Date and Details Course
May 21-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous  Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship 
TBD, offered online asynchronous Introduction to Human Sexuality
TBD, offered online synchronous Critical Issues in Sexuality and Health
Summer 2026 Work on scholarly project

View more information, including requirements, course descriptions and overall timeline for this concentration.

Co-Directors Contacts

Charles N Rudick, PhD | crudick@iu.edu | 312-833-2120

Justin R Garcia, PhD | jusrgarc@iu.edu | 812-855-7686

Jessica J. Hille, JD, PhD | jhille@iu.edu | 812-855-7686

Available spots for 2025-2026 application cycle: 30 or more

All concentration coursework is entirely completed online. The scholarly project work usually occurs in the student’s campus city and/or region or a mutually agreed upon site.

Be prepared to do the following during summer 2026:

Date and Details Course
May 21-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship
May 19-Aug. 1, 2026, offered online asynchronous
Introduction to Public Health
May 19-Aug. 1, 2026, offered hybrid Population Health for Clinicians
Summer 2026 Identify mentor; Choose scholarly project topic; Work on scholarly project

View more information, including requirements, course descriptions and overall timeline for this concentration.

Co-Directors Contacts

William Tierney, MD | wtierney@iu.edu | 317-278-9531

Amanda Benaderet, MD, MPH | abenader@iu.edu | 317-948-2700

Priscilla Barnes, PhD | prbarnes@iu.edu | 812-855-4789

Jordan Holmes, MD | jorholme@iu.edu

Available spots for 2025-2026 application cycle: 10

Home campus is Evansville. Most coursework and scholarly work (except the online Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship course) takes place at the Evansville campus.

Be prepared to do the following during summer 2026:

Date and Details Course
May 21-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous  Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship
May 26-June 1, 2026, offered in person Introduction to Health Care Innovation and Implementation
June 2-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous Learn Six Sigma for Healthcare Professionals
June 26-July 31, 2026, offered in person Scholarly Concentration Project

View more information, including requirements, course descriptions and overall timeline for this concentration.

Co-Directors Contacts

Kara Garcia, PhD | karagarc@iu.edu | 812-909-7230

Art Chlebowski, PhD | achlebow@iu.edu | 812-464-1881

Rebecca Sparks-Thissen, PhD | rsparkst@iu.edu

Available spots for 2025-2026 application cycle: 12

All coursework is online. Scholarly project locations vary by project and by agreement.

Be prepared to do the following during summer 2026: 

Date and Details Course
May 21-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship 
June 1-26, 2026, offered online synchronous Survey of Spiritual Traditions and Concepts in Health
June 29-July 24, 2026, offered online synchronous Survey of Spiritual Care Practice and the Research of Spirit
During summer Work on scholarly project
Please note that summer courses occur Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 3:30–5 p.m. ET, and are not asynchronous.

View more information, including requirements, course descriptions and overall timeline for this concentration.

Co-Directors Contacts

Alex Lion DO, MPH | alion@iu.edu | 559-709-8228

Mona Raed MD | 440-667-3045

Available spots for 2025-2026 application cycle: 8

Home campus is Terre Haute. This concentration is open only to students at the Terre Haute campus. All coursework is online. Scholarly project work can occur in any rural community.

Be prepared to do the following during summer and fall 2026:

Date and Details Course
May 21-July 31, 2026, offered online asynchronous  Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship 
May 19-Aug. 1, 2026, offered online asynchronous  Introduction to Public Health
TBD, offered online asynchronous Introduction to Rural and Agricultural Health
TBD, offered hybrid (p.m.) Rural Health Journal Club

View more information, including requirements, course descriptions and overall timeline for this concentration.

Co-Directors Contacts

Ellen Ireland, PhD | eireland@iu.edu | 319-237-8323

Robin Danek, MPH | rdanek@iu.edu | 812-237-2469

Interested in both IMPRS and a Scholarly Concentration? Here's how to make it work.

You can participate in both the IMPRS Summer Research Program and a Scholarly Concentration during the summer between your first and second years — and they can complement each other well! In fact, IMPRS can be a great springboard for a long-term scholarly concentration project that could lead to a manuscript or publication.

However, it’s important to understand the distinction:

Scholarly Concentrations program: a longitudinal experience during medical school that involves topical courses and a scholarly project that results in a manuscript submitted for publication and a poster presentation at IU School of Medicine Education Day.

IMPRS: a 10-week summer research program. A poster is presented at the IMPRS Symposium at the end of the program. An IMPRS project and poster alone do not fulfill the requirements for a scholarly concentration; however, the project can serve as a “launching pad.”

Pursuing both programs successfully

Medical students interested in participating in both programs should plan carefully to ensure a cohesive experience. To set yourself up for success, you must:

Select a compatible research topic. You must have a research focus that works for both your scholarly concentration interests and IMPRS requirements. Your project should be designed to extend well beyond the summer IMPRS experience and continue throughout your medical school career.

Coordinate early and communicate clearly. Reach out to the concentration co-directors early in your planning process and complete the IMPRS interest form promptly. Discuss your Interests and plans with leadership from both programs to ensure alignment and prevent any unexpected conflicts or requirements.

Identify a committed mentor. Secure a research mentor who is willing and able to support your project beyond the initial summer program. This ongoing mentorship is essential for longitudinal research success.

These same planning principles apply if you're considering the IU School of Medicine AmeriCorps program or other summer research opportunities alongside your scholarly concentration.

Which concentrations align well with IMPRS?
Yes Maybe
Biomedical Engineering and Applied Medical Technology Human Sexuality and Health
Biomedical Research Religion and Spirituality in Medicine
Business of Medicine  
Care of Hispanic/Latino Patients  
Genetics in Medicine

Health Care Integration and Healthy Aging

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Medical Education  
Public Health

Quality and Innovation in Health Care
 
Rural Health
 
Urban Medicine and Health Care Disparities  

Need Help?

  • Check out the FAQs.

  • Talk with concentration co-directors (see concentration links above).

  • Email the Scholarly Concentrations team.

Have an issue? Email the Scholarly Concentrations team