Medical Students Earn Stipends for Research Projects

Shreveport families with students in LSU Health Shreveport's medical program can now see funded research paths that may strengthen residency applications.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Secondary Education

Bold flat-color vector editorial illustration of rolled scrolls tied with a ribbon, with a small green sapling growing from the top, suggesting early research growth. — LSU Health Shreveport medical students earned stipends this year for research projects, with more than 80 finishing the Medical Student Research Project and presenting their work at a campus fair. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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LSU Health Shreveport held a medical student research fair in its gym where students moving into their second year of medical school presented their projects. More than 80 students finished the Medical Student Research Project this year, and each received a stipend.

Why it matters

For Shreveport families with a student in the medical pipeline, the program shows a funded path to research experience that can strengthen residency applications. Students who participate throughout their career also graduate with a special distinction on their diploma.

This year 125 students applied to the Medical Student Research Project, and more than 80 finished their projects. The program started about five years ago with 20-30 students and each finisher received a stipend.

The players

LSU Health Shreveport

A public academic health sciences center in Shreveport whose medical school runs the Medical Student Research Project.

Elisabeth Fontenot

A medical student who researched how Louisiana pediatric vaccination rates compare to the rest of the country.

Ahmed Anwar

A researcher who studied why people with chronic kidney disease have poor bone quality.

The details

Students chose a research partner either on campus or outside it, and topics came from an ongoing research theme, a researcher on staff, or the student's own interest. One study compared Louisiana pediatric vaccination rates with the rest of the country, while another found that all chronic kidney disease patients tested showed poorer bone quality, a finding that began when a neurosurgeon at LSU Health Shreveport noticed the pattern. The bone-quality study drew on 118 patients.

About five years ago the Medical Student Research Project began with 20-30 students.
This year 125 students applied and more than 80 finished their projects.
Stipends help defray the costs of summer study and research.

The Home Front

The Medical Student Research Project's growth from 20-30 students to 125 applicants shows how Louisiana's medical schools are building research pipelines close to home. Families in Shreveport can track whether such programs keep pace with the state's need for physicians.

If a student in your household is considering medicine, ask their undergraduate advisor about research opportunities and stipends that can fund summer work. Keep records of any research participation, since it can carry a distinction on the diploma and support residency applications.

The takeaway

Research participation during medical school can translate into a diploma distinction and a stronger residency application. Families who want to explore this path should ask whether a local program offers stipends for summer work.