Medical Student Research Opportunities

Sports Medicine Research Opportunities

The Division of Sports Medicine at Keck Medical Center of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, invites highly motivated medical students and medical school graduates to apply for a funded clinical research position in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine.

The research staff will be directly involved in all facets of the research process including, study coordination, development of study questions, literature review, study design, IRB applications, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, writing of manuscripts, and preparation of presentations. The Sport Medicine Division is comprised of six highly motivated orthopaedic surgeons who also serve as team physicians of the Trojan athletes (USC athletics) and the LA Kings, among other local teams.

The research staff will lead a well-organized group of college students, medical students, orthopaedic residents, sports medicine fellows and attendings with the goal to publish high-quality studies in sports medicine, including currently ongoing randomized clinical trials. This is an excellent opportunity for the research staff to foster his/her academic career in orthopaedic surgery while strengthening his/her application for orthopaedic residency. Recent research productivity record for the last academic year was 40 published/accepted papers and participation of the research fellow in over 80 studies within a period of 12 months.

This outstanding opportunity requires significant level of dedication to the field of orthopaedics and self-motivation in research, the ability to multitask and be proactive, elite-level writing skills, basic-advanced statistical knowledge, extremely strong organizational skills, and the ability to serve as a team player but also act as a leader in certain circumstances, under the guidance of attending surgeons and researchers.

Duties of the Research Fellow will include:

• Coordination of all ongoing research projects
• Data analysis
• Co-authoring primary research, review articles and book chapters
• Designing and submitting research proposals to the IRB and funding agencies
• Submitting manuscripts to Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine journals
• Observation in the operating room and video capture/creation for surgical technique articles
• Work independently with multiple attendings as needed 

Specific Prerequisites and Characteristics of the Research Fellow should include:

• Strong passion for a career in orthopaedic surgery
• Proven interest and capabilities in research
• Team oriented with leadership potential
• Strong academic record
• MUST be extremely organized
• MUST be detail oriented and willing to work hard and expand their knowledge and research skills
• MUST be able to self-manage

Benefits of the position:

• Staff should expect to have at least 20 publications by the end of the research year
• Staff will have the ability to be 1st author on all papers that he/she significantly contributes to
• The ability to collaborate with Sports Medicine Attendings, Fellows, and Orthopaedic Residents with significant research experience
• Opportunities to observe surgical procedures and interact with patients in the office
• Ample opportunities to attend Orthopaedic Grand Rounds, Journal Clubs, and Cadaver Labs
• Position will undoubtedly bolster and enhance competitiveness for a position in an orthopaedic surgery residency

How to apply

Please email the below listed items to sportsmedresearch@med.usc.edu

1. Cover letter
2. CV
3. USMLE scores

What happens next

If you are selected for an interview, you will receive an invitation to meet with our faculty on a virtual platform. At that time, you will also be asked to provide additional information, such as one or more letters of recommendation. Any questions regarding the position or application process, email sportsmedresearch@med.usc.edu

Fight On! @ USC