Mentored Professional Enrichment Experience (MPEE)

General information

The Mentored Professional Enrichment Experience (MPEE) is an optional eight-week elective between the first and second years of medical school. MPEE is an opportunity for you (as SIU-SOM medical students) to pursue interests in research and career development that you would not otherwise be able to investigate. Regardless of the area chosen for investigation, you are expected to play an active role in the project.

Under the guidance of a faculty mentor, you will develop the initial question, design a method to obtain an answer, establish clear goals and objectives to achieve an outcome and present the conclusions of this work before an audience of faculty and peers. MPEE project areas include basic science laboratory research, clinical research, or investigations in health-related areas such as rehabilitation, social work, health education, public health or academic medicine. MPEE projects could involve empirical data gathering or they could be more oriented toward library research. You may join an ongoing faculty research project.

The location for MPEE may be in Carbondale, Springfield, or another approved site. 

MPEE projects should describe distinct activities for the summer period. A mentor may sponsor multiple students, but the proposals should be distinct, have separate titles, and focus on a different aspect of a larger project.

There are many rewards associated with participation in the MPEE program. One example may be a publication of the results of your investigations. Download the student flyer by clicking here.

Application guidelines

Download the MPEE application by clicking here.

Mentor

Each mentor must review the student applicant's proposal and sign to confirm their agreement to serve as a mentor for the applicant and if project expense support funds are desired (for SIU-SOM mentors only). A guide for MPEE mentor responsibilities can be found here.