2024 Medical Tier 2

Program Information

Rising Freshman - Graduating Seniors

Georgetown University Washington, DC

Seven Days - Sunday to Saturday

July 7th - July 13th, 2024
July 14th - July 20th, 2024

View Program Schedule

$4,000 USD

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Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship

Explore the foundations of the brain

All Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship session are now closed. Visit our 2025 Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship page here for more session availability.

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

Bonnie Thomas

Keller High School, Class of 2023

2023 Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship

"I found Dr. Giordano's lecture on the ethics and intricacies of big data to be eye opening, and important not just to those with a pre-med or neuroscience focus, but to those who deal with information in the digital sphere - which is everyone. It is such a complex issue that is increasingly concerning, yet I think that we as individuals feel behind in our understanding of the potentially negative impacts of the emerging digital world. "

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 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 PrepScholar, 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 six years to allow nominations for rising freshmen through rising seniors.

Click on each academic benefit below to learn more :

1. One-on-One Advising

2. College Essay Assistance

3. Letters of Recommendation

4. College Probability Modeling

6. Admissions Panels

5. Personalized Websites

Jumpstart your college experience.

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

Students can speak directly with dedicated admissions counselors and former admissions officers to provide them with an in-depth understanding of the college application process. These counselors have personal and extensive experience in the college application field that cannot be replicated anywhere else.

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.

One-on-One Advising

All Summer Internship Program participants 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.

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College Essay Review

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Letters of Recommendation

Matthew Matusiewicz - Full Ride to UC Berkley School of Engineering

Samantha Williams - Attending Harvard University

Meredith Karle - Full Scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Request a letter or recommendation here.

All Summer Internship Program participants will have the opportunity to request up to two letters of recommendation from any member of the Leadership Initiatives staff, including Executive Director Marshall Bailly.

Student interns will also have the opportunity to receive letters of recommendation from Leadership Initiatives partners affiliated with the International International Internship Program (IIP).

These distinctive and complimentary letters are among the most highly valued benefits offered by Leadership Initiatives. Below are examples of recommendation letters from past students, highlighting the transformative impact of the program on their lives.

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College Probability Modeling

Leadership Initiatives and our partners at Parchment, PrepScholar and University Connections have designed a system that will calculate the probability of acceptance into the student’s top university choices based on the students GPA, test scores, extracurricular activities, career goals, financial need and more.

Our college admissions team will guide participants in refining their college interest list and developing a personalized application plan.

Drawing on their experience with a wide range of institutions, they offer valuable insights to help students better navigate the admissions process.

Financial Assistance Needs

Extra-Curricular Activities

Community Service

College Probability Calculator

Grade Point Average

SAT/ACT Training Scores

Leadership Initiatives creates a personalized website for each Summer Internship Program participant, showcasing their collaborative efforts with partners and mentors throughout the summer.

Each website highlights your team’s solutions, grant proposal, and photos from your time at Georgetown, illustrating the meaningful impact your work has had on your partners and their communities. A link to your website is included in your letters of recommendation, giving colleges the opportunity to explore and appreciate the exceptional contributions made by every student.

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Personalized Website

Click to view our Summer Internship Program websites here.

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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