Think about funding. Look at the Research and Fellowship Opportunities for Penn Med Students and the Short Term Funding Application available in the Combined Degree Office and on our website, and ask potential mentors if they are aware of relevant fellowships. Remember that if you apply for a fellowship, you may not receive the award. It's a good idea to have a backup plan. Another option is to ask your potential mentor if he or she would have funding for you.
Some mentors are able to provide stipend support from their research grants.
When you meet with a faculty member to discuss possible summer projects, explore whether he or she would be a good summer mentor for you. Two months is a very short amount of time for doing research, and it will be important that you have a concrete project planned if you are to have an interesting, productive summer. Talk with the faculty member about how you would develop the project and plan the research if you end up working in that lab. You need to find a mentor who is a good fit for you. You definitely want to work with someone responsive and available, who is clearly committed to helping you learn about the scientific process.