Strong applications for students, mentor availability, and funding all affect the number of positions that can be offered each year. In 2023, 50 students participated in SOAR. In 2024, 61 offers were made to students. 

SOAR includes a range of projects from basic science done in a lab to clinical studies or quality improvement, educational and epidemiological studies. SOAR projects can occur at the School of Medicine or at clinical partner sites. 

Applications typically open in November. Students are notified through class emails. You can also check this website to access the application link. Applications are individually reviewed to assess the qualifications of the applicant. 

• High scoring applications tend to be honest, specific, and thorough.
• Make sure each word has an impact.
• Avoid general statements, platitudes, and buzzwords.
• Double check that you answered what was asked.

The student application asks about your current interests and future goals. You will provide:

• A brief statement of your career goals.
• How the SOAR program could impact your career.
• Why do you consider research to be important.

In addition, we do collect some information that is not shared with reviewers, such as demographic information. We also ask about any previous research experience. You can provide further information about your specific areas of interest.

All applications are de-identified and reviewers score each section using a standardized rubric.

• Matches are made in order of student application scores.
• Higher scoring applications are matched first.
• Matching prioritizes student’s indicated interests.
• Specific requests cannot always be accommodated.

We do not pre-assign students to any one project or faculty mentor.  Because SOAR is a competitive program, applications are reviewed fairly, and student eligibility is determined before matches are made.  Offers are then sent to students.  Mentors can provide the name of a student that they would like to be considered for their project. Acceptance into SOAR is based on the student’s eligibility and an application ranking system, thus SOAR matches cannot be guaranteed. 

No. Other than required compliance training, students should not be actively working on their SOAR projects until the kick-off date which immediately follows final exams.

Depending on the nature and site of your project, requirements vary. Every summer intern must:

• Accept or decline your offer by the deadline.
• Sign your contract by the deadline.
• Access the Blackboard SOAR course which describes all the necessary steps.

Once you are enrolled in SOAR you will have prerequisite training and credentialling which takes time to complete. Be proactive and review the material when you accept the job.

Stipends are split into two installment check payments. Details about how to get paid are located on Blackboard SOAR course under Student Stipend Information.

SOAR students deliver oral presentations during the fall and early spring of the M2 school year at the Graduate Student Seminar Series. Students are expected to work with their faculty mentor to refine these presentations. We encourage students to also submit to Discover USC in the spring.

Work in progress is acceptable for presentations. You may choose to focus on project aims and methods used to conduct the research. Any preliminary findings that are available may be included.

Interested mentors complete a SOAR mentor application online.  Applications typically open in the fall and are due around January/February. Application information and the link can be found on this page at that time. 

In addition to general information (name, department, etc.) the application requires specific project information. This includes:

• brief project description and the role of the student
• expected student outcomes
• Research type/keywords
• IRB/IACUC status

Remember that the SOAR program only lasts 8 weeks after which the student should have enough data/experience for a short podium presentation. Although we know that research never goes fully according to plan, we find that successful projects tend to be more fully developed and either in or approaching the data collection phase. 

Faculty mentors employed with the USC School of Medicine or Prisma Health can request up to $500 reimbursement for project costs/supplies which may require completing the USC supplier onboarding process. All reimbursements are processed using the USC reimbursement guidelines.

No. Other than required compliance training, students should not be actively working on their SOAR projects until the kick-off date which immediately follows final exams.

• Our program solicits projects from researchers across the spectrum, from basic science to clinical studies, all the way to population research using big data or meta-analysis.
• We have matched students to faculty/projects in behavioral sciences, emergency medicine, genetics, internal medicine, neuroscience, oncology, orthopedics, public health, surgery, and more. We partner with investigators at USC and Prisma Health but also with external organizations to provide students with an experience that will broaden their research interest.

Yes. A department can guarantee that they receive a student(s) if they choose to sponsor the students’ stipend.

This is a process that is followed by the external partners that we work with each year. To ensure we make matches for these sponsored slots, we usually match them first, working through the student applications in order of score until we find a good match. If more faculty submissions are received than the number of funded slots for that department, we will still consider the additional applications in our regular process (unless asked otherwise). This does not guarantee that a specific student will be matched with a specific mentor or department, but it does increase the probability.

We do not pre-assign students to any one project or faculty mentor.  Because SOAR is a competitive program, applications are reviewed fairly, and student eligibility is determined before matches are made.  Offers are then sent to students.  Mentors can provide the name of a student that they would like to be considered for their project. Acceptance into SOAR is based on the student’s eligibility and an application ranking system, thus SOAR matches cannot be guaranteed.

Matches are typically made in order of student application scores (higher scoring applications are matched first). Students selected to participate in the program are matched to faculty submitted projects based on their areas of interest and prior experience on their application. The program prioritizes student interests, but specific requests cannot always be accommodated.

We understand that projects may not be completed within the SOAR program timeline. Work in progress presentations are acceptable such as presenting preliminary findings or presentations about the project aims and methods used to conduct the research.