The Vanderbilt Summer Research Program in diabetes, which was designed to interest medical students in research careers and diabetes care, was evaluated. The program provides stipends to 20 sophomore and junior medical students for 12 weeks of preceptor-supervised laboratory research work, clinical experience, and classroom instruction. The evaluation design includes the Discrepancy Evaluation Model, which describes differences between program standards and realities. A second evaluation focus compares the long-term effect on program participants vs. a sample of nonparticipant applicants. Results indicate that the program has successfully attracted students naive to biomedical research. All students reported adequate research supervision and instruction, although there was significant variation in the extent to which students, preceptors, and other lab personnel collaborated. Students devoted the vast majority of time to conducting research, spending less time in the classroom and very little in the clinic. All students showed significant pre-post gains on tests that sampled knowledge about diabetes and research design. Finally, in comparison to nonparticipants, participants have published and presented more research papers, and are more interested in pursuing careers in diabetes care. (Author/SW)