Fooksman Family Foundation Supports a New Initiative to Integrate Medical Students into Research

The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee is expanding research opportunities for medical students. Alongside the MD-PhD program, which trains the next generation of physician-scientists, a dedicated initiative has been launched with the support of the Fooksman Family Foundation. The initiative enables additional medical students to join the Faculty’s research laboratories during their studies. The program is coordinated by Prof. Chaim Putterman, Dr. Ron Orbach, and Dr. Dorith Raviv-Shay.

As part of the initiative, medical students interested in gaining research experience were invited to apply. Following an evaluation of the applications, participants were selected and are now being placed in Faculty laboratories according to their scientific interests and the available research projects.

Participants will conduct research alongside Faculty investigators, gain exposure to current questions and methods in biomedical science, and acquire direct experience with the research process. Support from the Fooksman Family Foundation will enable students to devote substantial time to this experience while continuing their medical studies.

The initiative aims to make research accessible to a broader group of medical students and to foster scientific thinking from the early stages of medical training. Through their work in the laboratories, students will become familiar with the different stages of research, from formulating a research question and designing experiments to collecting and analyzing data, interpreting the findings, and considering their broader implications for science and medicine.

The Faculty views this initiative as another important component in developing an educational environment that integrates medicine and research. Early exposure to scientific work allows students to explore their interest in research, establish connections with Faculty investigators, and develop scientific skills that will support their future careers. For some participants, this experience may also serve as a first step toward more extensive research training through the MD-PhD program.