Director 

James Chen, PhD

Objectives and Goals

The MBM Foundation is designed to: (1) allow medical students to explore diverse areas of basic science and (2) maximize the time available for original research at the laboratory bench. Through these activities, MBM Scholars will strengthen their understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie human health and disease. They will also be well-positioned to pursue basic biomedical research at subsequent stages of their careers and to apply new scientific advances to their clinical practices.

Due to its emphasis on laboratory research, the MBM Foundation typically requires a significant commitment on the part of the medical student. The majority of MBM Scholars will complete the equivalent of a year of full-time research and will therefore pursue a five-year graduation plan. Some students elect to continue their research by entering a PhD program. MBM Scholars are also encouraged to affiliate with Stanford departments, interdepartmental programs (IDPs), or institutes, allowing them to benefit from administrative resources for training and mentoring graduate students. These structures will also help MBM Scholars connect with faculty and students working in related fields.

Medical students can pursue the MBM Foundation alone or in combination with any of the Scholarly Concentration Applications. In the latter case, the students will design a curriculum that spans both Foundation and Application areas.