Program Information

Rising Freshman - Graduating Seniors

Georgetown University Washington, DC

Seven Days - Sunday to Saturday

~~July 23rd - July 29th, 2023~~*
July 30th - August 5th, 2023

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$4,000 USD

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Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship

Explore the foundations of the brain

*ANNOUNCEMENT: Each internship has a limited number of slots for enrollment. All slots for the July 23rd to 29th session have been filled and we are no longer accepting new enrollments for this year. Visit lichangesummer.org/2024 for more information on next year's internships.

The Program

In Leadership Initiatives' Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship, students work directly with Dr. Giordano, the Chief of Georgetown's Neuroethics Studies Program and Co-Director of the O’Neill-Pellegrino Program in Brain Science and Global Health Law and Policy.

Interns spend seven days participating in cutting-edge neuroscience and ethics research. Students explore the anatomy and physiology of the brain, from the electrical signals fired by neurons to higher-order cognitive functions like memory, emotion, and morality. Interns also have the rare opportunity to participate in several neurological tests and meet with individuals who have neurological disorders and enhancements.

For their final project, students propose an experiment related to cognitive neuroscience and ethics to apply their understanding, then present it publicly to leading neuroscientists. The top teams will write a paper that will be published for peer review.

For their final project, students will work with Dr. Rachel Wurzman to design and propose a research project related to cognitive neuroscience. Students will present this project to Dr. James Giordano and several of the world's leading Neuroscience experts.

Research Project

Students work directly with medical experts from Georgetown University and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Students will learn from leaders working at the frontier of the fields of neuroethics, neuroimaging, brain stimulation, and neurotechnology.

Work with Experts

Interns will learn about neurological tests and procedures. Students will participate in functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), neuropriming, deep brain stimulation, electromyography (EMG), and brain dissection.

Neuro Experiments

Program Highlights

Aneesh Batchu

Marquette High School

2021 Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship

"As an intern in the Advanced Neuroscience Medical Program, I truly learned more about neuroscience than I could have ever imagined. The programming contained so much information and spread across every imaginable field of neuroscience, allowing us to gain as much information as we could from international neuroscience experts. The culminating research proposal we developed was also extremely eye-opening for me. Dr. Wurzman helped me through each step of the process, which allowed me to present the best research proposal I possibly could."

Explore the brain sciences and a career in medicine — before you graduate high school.

Leadership Initiatives hosts neuroscientists, surgeons, and members of research institutions from across the globe to share skills and insights into ongoing research. The 2021 program includes experts from the Georgetown University Medical Center's Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging, Lab for Relational Cognition, Pellegrino Center, Brain Bank, and Movement Disorders Program; the Gallaudet University Brain and Language Lab; and the Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation at the University of Pennsylvania.

Explore the brain sciences and a career in medicine

Interns will get to experience neurostimulation technology firsthand, including transcranial direct current stimulation, and the commercially available neuropriming device known as the HALO. In addition, interns will learn about intensive stimulation techniques like deep brain stimulation technology being used to help patients with movement disorders. Students will also be able to explore the future of neuromodulation, as they implement neurotechnology to control the motion of live cockroaches.

Explore the brain sciences and a career in medicine

Interns explore Washington, DC and visit Georgetown University's Brain Bank to hold and study human brains, take a behind-the-scenes tour of The Petitto Brain and Language Laboratory to witness neuroimaging experiments, explore the Georgetown University Medical School for multiple experiments and an overview of the institution. All interns experience life as a Georgetown University student in the Nation’s Capital.

Explore the brain sciences and a career in medicine.

Students have the rare opportunity to learn exactly what it takes to get into the Nation’s leading undergraduate colleges and medical schools directly speaking with admissions officers from Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, George Washington, and Harvard University at our exclusive Undergraduate and Medical School Admissions Panels.

Explore the brain sciences and a career in medicine.

Undergraduate Admissions Panels

Medical School Admissions Panels

Throughout the program, students meet and network with leaders from Georgetown MedStar, the National Institutes of Health, Johns Hopkins, the Gallaudet University, the US Department of Homeland Security, Harvard University, and Johnson & Johnson.

Explore the brain sciences and a career in medicine.

All students who attend one of our Summer Internship Programs will receive free SAT/ACT training through TestRocker, one-on-one admissions consulting with a former admissions officer, essay editing assistance, two letters of recommendation, and scholarship application assistance. These benefits remain available for four years to allow nominations for rising freshmen through rising seniors.

Click on each academic benefit below to learn more :

1. SAT/ACT Training

2. Admissions Panels

3. College Essay Assistance

4. Letters of Recommendation

5. College Probability Modeling

6. Personalized Websites

Jumpstart your college experience.

Summer program students will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a college admissions expert. They will help walk students through the ins-and-outs of college applications, essay writing, and scholarships.

Students can speak directly with former admissions officers from schools such as Yale, Brown & UCLA. These individuals have a minimum of 15 years of experience in the field of college admissions.

Students are recommended to have their most pressing questions about the college application process ready so they can have them answered by someone who knows the application system inside and out.

Past students have used this time to hone in on their essay topics, decide on how many colleges to apply to, and create application time lines.

College Admissions Panel

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All Youth Development Program paticipants receive one-on-one essay editing assistance from Leadership Initiatives partner University Connection.

This offer is exclusive, and not available with any other institution or program!

Each student essay will be edited to ensure it makes an excellent impression at every stage of the competitive application process. The editors will improve the style, clarity, sentence structure and coherence of your application so that your achievements are noticed.

Editors bring their experience in many different backgrounds, including Science and Technology, Commerce, Management, and the Humanities.

College Essay Review

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All participants in the Youth Development Programs will have the opportunity to have two written for them from any Leadership Initiatives staff member, including the Executive Director Marshall Bailly.

Students interns will also have the opportunity to have letters written by Leadership Initiatives partners from the International Business & Development Internship, International Public Health Internship, and International Law & Advocacy Internship.

These unique and complimentary letters are one of the most highly regarded benefits that Leadership Initiatives has. Below are sample letters from previous students:

Letters of Recommendation

Samantha Williams - Attending Harvard University

Meredith Karle - Full Scholarship to the University of North Carolina

transparent college probability modeling resized

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Leadership Initiatives creates a personalized website for each International Internship Program team highlighting their collaborative efforts with their partner in the International Business & Development Internship, International Law & Advocacy Internship, or International Public Health Internship.

The website displays your team's solutions, grant proposal, photos of your partners, and illustrates the impact your team has had on the life and community of your partners. The website link is included in your letters of recommendation, allowing colleges to independently explore the phenomenal work done by each and every student.

Personalized Website

Click here to view Youth Development Program websites.

Experience life as a student at one of the nation's most prestigious universities.

Experience life as a student at one of the nation's most prestigious universities.

Leadership Initiatives is committed to prioritizing the health and safety of our students, staff, and broader DC community. For this reason, we have gone above and beyond to ensure safety at all of our Youth Development Programs, including regular disinfection and health screenings, social distancing, specialized training, and maintaining all DC and CDC guidelines for COVID safety.

Click here to review our health and safety measures.

Experience life as a student at one of the nation's most prestigious universities.

Participants become a part of the Georgetown community of students and staff who live together in the New South Residence Hall. Students live in two-person rooms and may select their roommate upon enrolling in the program. Leadership Initiatives will provide bedding, towels, and pillows. Each dorm room is air-conditioned and includes a bed, study desk, closet & Wi-Fi. Lounges, game rooms, laundry facilities, and our offices are located in the residence hall. With afternoon activities in the Georgetown Quad and outings along famous M Street, participants are immersed in life as a student.

Experience life as a student at one of the nation's most prestigious universities.

Leadership Initiatives provides three meals, snacks, and drinks as a part of the program tuition. Students order meals on their mobile phones from a selection of local restaurants, including Chipotle, We the Pizza, Georgetown Gourmet, Subway, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Falafel Inc., and Johnny Rockets. Meals are delivered directly to the students, and snacks and drinks are available in dorm lounges throughout the day.

Partnership Restaurants

Experience life as a student at one of the nation's most prestigious universities.

Students are responsible for the cost of travel to and from the internship. Leadership Initiatives provides program participants shuttle service between DCA or IAD airports and campus on the start and end dates of the program for a fee of $30 for DCA and $45 for IAD both ways. Upon acceptance, you will receive instructions on how to sign up for the airport shuttle service.

Leadership Initiatives staff members will meet the students at baggage claim and then escort students directly to registration at Georgetown University.

Program Tuition & Assistance

All-Inclusive Program Tuition

Student Fundraising Program

Assistance Scholarships

No-Interest Payment Plans

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Program tuition covers the cost of room and board, ground transportation during the program, a 5:1 student to faculty and staff ratio, all curriculum, and materials.

Education assistance covered by tuition includes one-on-one college admissions counseling sessions, lecture fees, mentor sessions with experts, workshops, and all academic benefits, including SAT/ACT training through TestRocker and college essay editing.

Scholarships, payment plans, and fundraising assistance are available.

All-Inclusive Tuition

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No-Interest Payment Plans

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Leadership Initiatives offers a variety of flexible options to pay for program tuition.

Zero-interest payment plans are available in three, six, nine, and twelve-month payment options.

Participants can opt to pay the entirety of their remaining tuition balance off at any point during the payment period.

Reserve a place today with a $100 refundable deposit here.

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Fundraising Assistance

Leadership Initiatives is dedicated to providing opportunities for everyone who shows drive, determination, and grit towards their future goals. We have created a fundraising department to help students participate in one of our summer internships.

If you choose the fundraising option, you will meet one-on-one with a fundraising coach who will assist in creating a comprehensive fundraising campaign.

Fundraising also allows participants to go on an 18-month payment plan with a deposit. Designed for students in financial need this fundraising option allows students to hold several fundraisers to pay for their tuition.

Click here to view the 2023 Fundraising Guide.

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Scholarships

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, all Leadership Initiatives programs are heavily subsidized by our sponsors allowing us to offer programs with academic benefits at a lower cost than for-profit institutions.

To apply for a scholarship click here to fill out the program interest form and indicate you are interested in a scholarship.

Please note scholarships do not stack (this means you can only use one scholarship per program).

Partners and Sponsors

Our office in Washington, DC is open seven days a week - give us a call! A phone conversation allows us to answer your specific questions and provide you with contact information for previous intership participants and their families so that you can get a first-hand perspective.

Enroll Now

Set Up A Call Today

Join us this summer!