Clinical Research Internship Program

The Clinical Research Internship is a unique opportunity for students to directly participate in the performance of clinical research, such as enrolling patients in study programs, while also observing overall emergency department (ED) operations and interacting with physicians, nurses and other health care personnel. The ED Research Internship offers a broad diversity of research from basic observational studies to complex randomized controlled trials thereby exposing students to the full spectrum of research applications in a single clinical setting. Students will gain research experience working in the ED that will strengthen their skills in developing a career in public health and/or medicine. Students will be exposed to the practical application of research to provide critical context and texture to research theory they may have received in the classroom.

Our Mission and Goal:

The program's mission is to conduct innovative and practice-changing science while supporting and training a diverse group of clinician-scientists dedicated to improving patient care.  Our program goals are to provide a clinical research educational experience for pre-health professionals, hands-on training to gain research-related skills, and exposure to an acute clinical setting.

Clinical Research Intern Position Roles:

  • Attend study-related training sessions held by Clinical Research Coordinators (CRC) throughout the course of the internship.
  • Master the processes of properly obtaining informed consent and practicing good clinical practice (GCP) in an acute care setting.
  • Develop proficiency in clinical research activities, such as screening, pre-consenting, and enrolling eligible patients with a CRC mentor.
  • Increase understanding of the principals of compliance, patient confidentiality, and other ethical obligations involved with conducting clinical research.
  • Interact with Principal Investigators (PIs) and other departments by attending program-exclusive lectures, health fairs, trainings, workshops, etc.
  • Interact and observe patient care with clinical staff.

Pediatric & Adult ED Differences:

Pediatric Emergency Medicine  (PEM)

  • Peds ED treats 0-20 y/o patients
  • Larger RI Cohort (~20 total)
  • PEM Supervising RC Team

General Emergency Medicine (GEM)

  • Adult ED treats 18-100+ y/o patients
  • Smaller RI Cohort (~10 total)
  • GEM Supervising RC Team

Research Intern Program Requirements:

  • Must be a current pre-medical or pre-health student who’s academic program requires they gain experience in a medical setting
  • Commit to ONE FULL YEAR (12 months) of two 4-hour shifts or one 8-hour shift per week
  • Commit to attending the following events:
    • A mandatory 4-hour program orientation,
    • A protocol training session for each active research study
    • At least one (of the many) Principal Investigator (PI) Lecture Series seminars held throughout the course of the year. 

For more information