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Mentorship

WSPR Summer Internship Program

The WSPR Summer Research Internship Program is designed to support pediatric research labs and the next generation of pediatric researchers. Through this program, WSPR funds competitive, mentored research internships by providing financial support to research labs/programs. Selected labs will received funding to host a full-time student intern during the summer. The student’s stipend and conference travel will be paid directly by WSPR.

Funding Details:​

Each selected lab/program will be awarded $5,000 in total support, distributed as follows:

  • $4,000 paid directly to the selected student as a stipend for an 8-week, full-time internship (40 hours/week)

  • $1,000 reserved to support the student’s travel to the 2028 WSPR Annual Meeting, where they will present their summer research

 

Note: Funds are restricted to student support only. They may not be used for research costs, laboratory supplies, investigator salaries, or indirect costs.

Host Lab Eligibility:

To be eligible to apply, the host lab or clinical research program must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be actively engaged in pediatric research at an academic institution located within the WSPR region

  • Have at least one faculty mentor who is a WSPR member in good standing at the time of award notification

  • Be able to provide structured, full-time mentorship to a student intern for 8 weeks during the summer of 2027 (40 hours/week)

  • Ensure that at least one mentor will attend the 2028 WMRC in Carmel to support the student’s presentation

Timeline of Events:

  • Deadline for host lab to apply for internship program: November 13th, 2026 

  • Internship funding recipients announced at WMRC conference: January 15th, 2027

  • Deadline to select student intern: May 1st, 2027

  • Summer internship program: Any 8 weeks between June 1st, 2027 and August 31st, 2027

  • Presentation at 2028 WMRC: January 2028

2026 WSPR Summer Interns

WSPR Junior Investigator (JI) Section

The WSPR JI Section was created to better stimulate the pediatric science careers of junior investigators (students, residents, fellows, and junior faculty)​. The JI section supports junior investigators through a variety of initiatives, including hosting virtual pre-conference sessions, hosting educational sessions targeting junior investigators at the upcoming conference, and providing leadership opportunities through WSPR.

 

Junior investigators are included in the JI section automatically (meaning there is no application process involved) and can participate in all JI section events.

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Currently, there are no upcoming JI Section events. JI Section events will be posted to the website.

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Viviana Fajardo-Martinez, MD​

JI Section Co-Chair

Assistant Professor, UCLA 

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Adriana Maria Tavares Gomes, MD​

JI Section Co-Chair

Fellow, UCSD 

Interested in being a JI section co-chair? 

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