About & Eligibility
How the two-stage competition works, who can enter, and how we keep judging fair across all medical schools.
Expanding from Thailand’s National MRPC to the World
Welcoming MBBS and MD undergraduates globally with free entry and hybrid oral defense.
Competition Philosophy
Evaluated on Scientific Thinking, Not Laboratory Access
Most student congresses require finished datasets, favoring students with early grant funding. CMU-iMRPC levels the playing field by judging the research question, hypothesis, study design, and clinical value of your proposal across two stages:
2-Page PDF Peer Review
Two faculty specialists matched by medical discipline and methodology independently score your 2-page proposal on a 100-point rubric.
Top 10 Hybrid Oral Defense
Top 10 teams defend live (7-min pitch + 10-min Q&A) on-site at MedCMU for Thai teams or via Zoom Live internationally.
Feedback for All Teams
Every team receives an Official Evaluation Summary Report with scores and written critiques.
Grant & Defense Skills
Build practical protocol-writing, study-control design, and live scientific Q&A experience.
Keynotes & Global Peers
Join two 45-minute English scientific symposia and connect with medical students worldwide.
Applicant Rules at a Glance
Eligibility, Team Composition & Academic Equity
Eligible Students
Currently enrolled undergraduate medical students (MBBS, MD, or equivalent degree) at any accredited medical school worldwide.
Team Size & Collaboration
1 to 3 students per team (solo entries welcome). Cross-university and cross-country teams are fully permitted.
Faculty Advisor / Mentor
Strictly optional. Independent student teams without an advisor compete with 100% equity and zero scoring penalty.
Preliminary Data Policy
Empirical results or completed lab datasets are neither required nor scored, from conceptual designs to ongoing pre-publication studies.
Prior Presentations vs. Journals
Projects previously presented as abstracts or posters at student congresses/conferences are eligible. Full papers published or accepted in peer-reviewed journals before 10 Dec 2026 are ineligible.
Top 10 Proof of Enrollment
Shortlisted Top 10 teams must submit a valid Student ID or Institutional Verification Letter within 5 days of announcement (by 15 Jan 2027), or the slot passes to the reserve runner-up.
Language, Originality & Finality
Strictly English for proposals, slides, and oral defense (any local terms on slides must include an English translation). Plagiarism or late submission after 10 Dec 2026 results in disqualification. Decisions of the evaluation committee and judging panel are final.
How the Competition Is Organized
Jointly delivered by faculty and student research teams across Chiang Mai University and Thailand’s national medical student research network:
Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University
Led by Chiang Mai Medical Student Organization (CMSO), Research CMSO, and Academic CMSO (ACDM (Academed Shine)).
AMSA-Thailand
Connecting undergraduate medical student investigators across Thailand and international AMSA chapters.
ResearchNav by Research AMSA-Thailand
Co-developing peer-review workflows, methodological standards, and structured feedback reports.
