Summer Elective for Medical Students
Empowering future healthcare leaders through hands-on research and innovation
About the Program
The Summer Elective Program is a competitive, two-month research-intensive experience designed for exceptional medical and dental students across Pakistan. The program focuses on interdisciplinary and translational research, and immerses students in the fields of molecular and cellular biology, and biomedical data science. Since its inception, the program has grown significantly in reach and reputation, drawing applications from across the country and establishing itself as a unique training opportunity for future clinician-scientists.
Unlike traditional electives, this program prioritizes active learning and hands-on involvement. Participants gain exposure to real-world research environments, conduct experiments in the wet lab, work alongside experienced mentors, and develop critical skills in scientific writing, data interpretation, and problem-solving. This introduces the student to the intersection of biology, technology, and clinical care.
Most of our students keep in touch even beyond the summer, continuing their research part-time and keeping on having an impact in the health-care sector.
Beyond the summer, the program creates long-term impact by empowering students to pursue careers at the interface of medicine and research. Whether aiming for a future in clinical leadership, academic research, or advanced graduate studies, alumni of the Summer Elective Program emerge better prepared, more confident and deeply inspired to contribute meaningfully to the future of healthcare.
Why Join This Program?
- Work on real-world problems with real-world data from our population
- Learn wet-lab, data and communication skills
- Get mentored by experienced researchers
- Present your work in national/international conferences
- Join a growing alumni network of researchers
Program Highlights
Colleges From Khyber PakhtunKhwa |
|||
| Khyber Medical College | Rehman College of Dentistry | Nowshera Medical College | Bacha Khan College of Dentistry |
| Rehman Medical College | Kabir Medical College | Northwest School of Medicine | Swat Medical College |
| Bannu Medical College | Sardar Begum Dental College | Pakistan International Medical College | Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences |
| Bacha Khan Medical College (Mardan) | Saidu Medical College | Khyber Girls Medical College | Bacha Khan College of Dentistry |
| Jinnah Medical College | Peshawar Medical College | Peshawar Dental College | Hainan Medical College |
| KMU Institute of Medical Sciences | Khyber College of Dentistry | Gajju Khan Medical College | Gomal Medical College |
| KMU Institute of Dental Sciences | Ayub Medical College | Nishter Institute of Dentistry | |
Colleges From Punjab |
|||
| Lahore Medical & Dental College | University of Health Sciences | King Edward Medical University | Allama Iqbal Medical College |
| Watim Medical & Dental College | |||
Colleges From Islamabad |
|||
| Khyber Medical University | Federal Medical College | Shifa College of Medicine | |
Colleges From Sindh |
|||
| Dow Medical College | |||
Colleges From Balochistan |
|||
| Bolan Medical College | |||
Colleges From Afghanistan |
|||
| Ariana Medical University, Jalalabad | |||
Program Alumni
2024 Cohort:
Gul E Lala Noman
3rd Year, Rehman Medical College
Transcriptomic Similarities And Differences Across Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Bipolar, Schizophrenia and Autism)
Muskan Hayat
Fourth Year, Khyber Medical College
Etiology-Specific Network Reconstruction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based On Transcriptomic Profiling
Muhammad Abdal Gohar Qureshi
Second Year, Khyber Medical College
Exploring The Transcriptomic Profiles And Links Between Cholelithiasis And Cholangiocarcinoma
Mahnoor Sheikh
Third Year, Pak International Medical College
Exploring the role of Long non-coding RNA in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Muhammad Binyameen Raza Qureshi
Fourth Year, Khyber Medical College
Transcriptomic Landscape Of Meningiomas: Analysing Gene Expression Profile Across Different Anatomical Locations
Malaika Khan
Second Year, Khyber Medical College
Transcriptomic Insights Into Long Non-Coding Rna (Lncrna)-Mediated Pathways In Medulloblastoma(Mb) Subtypes
Qurat ul Ain
Second Year, Rehman Medical College
Identification of Molecular Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Ampullary Carcinoma
Shayan Ahmad
Third Year, Khyber Medical College
Neuronal Activity in Molecular Subtypes of Small Cell Lung Cancer
Talha Mufeed
Final Year, Saidu Medical College, Swat.
Characterizing Gene Amplifications in Extrachromosomal Circular DNA (eccDNA) of colon cancer
Zara Khan
Second Year, Khyber Girls Medical College, Peshawar.
Gene Expression Profiling of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma-Associated Diabetes Mellitus (PDAC-DM) with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) And Diabetes Mellitus
2023 Cohort:
Ahad Ali
2nd Year, Rehman Medical College
Unveiling Differentially Expressed Genes in Relapsed Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma and Discovering Repurposed drugs
Ayesha Z. Durrani
Final Year, Rehman College of Dentistry
Investigating Spaceflight As Potential risk Factors For Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Fatima Rizwan
3rd Year, Khyber Girls Medical College
Exploring Drug Repurposing for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) Through the Lens of Protein Domain Interactions
Hadeeqa Saleem
2nd Year, Khyber Medical College
Serum microRNAs as a Diagnostic Biomarker for Breast Carcinoma
Maryam Fayyaz
3rd Year, Khyber Medical College
Investigating the role of chemokines and chemokine-receptors in the metastasis of breast cancer subtypes
Muhibullah Ghafoorzai
Final Year, Bacha Khan Medical College
Differential transcriptomic analysis between matched primary and metastatic ovarian cancer
Safoora Zia
3rd Year, Rehman Medical College
Targeting Drug Resistance in Colorectal Cancer: A Drug Repurposing Approach to Overcome FOLFOX Resistance
2022 Cohort:
Kalsoom Rabbi
4th Year, Rehman Medical College
Effects of Tonsillectomy on Outcomes of Polio Vaccines in Pakistan
Summaiya Khan
4th Year, Rehman Medical College
A Comprehensive survey of lipid biomarkers as an early diagnostic method for diabetic foot ulcer

Workshops & Sprints
The Summer Elective Program includes a series of carefully designed workshops and sprints that provide students with hands-on experience in advanced research techniques. These sessions, led by experts, are integral to the program, focusing on equipping participants with the practical skills required to excel in contemporary research environments.

Journal Clubs
Led by Dr. Faisal Khan, our journal club sessions are an integral part of the Summer Elective Program, offering students the opportunity to engage deeply with scientific literature. Each session involves a guided walkthrough of a published research paper, section by section...

Meet the Expert Sessions
The Meet the Expert sessions offer students a rare and invaluable opportunity to interact directly with leading professionals from diverse medical and scientific disciplines. These conversations go beyond lectures...

Conferences/ Presentations
A core highlight of the Summer Elective Program is the opportunity for students to present their research on national and international platforms. Whether through poster presentations or oral sessions, participants showcase their work to peers, experts, and academic audiences—often for the very first time.
Testimonials
FAQs
Who can apply?
MBBS and BDS students from 2nd year onwards with a genuine interest in research.
Is it paid?
No, the program is unpaid—and students are not charged any fee either.
How are students selected?
Applicants undergo a competitive and rigorous selection process that evaluates both individual potential and group skills.
What’s the time commitment?
It’s an 8-week full-time summer program.
Where does the programme take place?
The program is conducted at the Precision Medicine Lab in Peshawar.
Is prior research experience required?
While prior experience is helpful, a keen interest in research and a drive to learn are equally important.
Apply for the Next Cohort (Call for 2026)
Join us for 8 transformative weeks of mentorship, innovation, and real-world impact. Sharpen your research skills, strengthen your scientific voice, and connect with experts shaping the future of medicine.
Apply now and take the first step toward a career in translational research!