November 18, 2022November 18, 2022 by zarslan in DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Student Research

Clinical Research Summer Externship for URM Med Students – The application will be open through February 12, 2023

Dear Karen L. Houseknecht, PhD,

My name is Ali Gemma, Program Director for the Robert A. Winn Clinical Investigator Pathway Program (Winn CIPP) for medical students. Winn CIPP is one of the program initiatives of the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials Award Program, a $114 million initiative funded by Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation and Gilead Sciences. This national program is designed to increase diversity in clinical trials and transform the clinical research landscape.

Winn CIPP is a 6-week intensive and immersive summer service-learning externship that provides underrepresented in medicine (URM) medical students (MD/DO) with opportunities to experience and participate in clinical research conducted in community-based clinical research settings (e.g., community health centers, safety net hospitals, clinical research organizations). The goal of the Winn CIPP is to expose URM medical students to career pathways in clinical research, particularly community-oriented research that is focused on increasing inclusion, equity, and diversity in the conduct of clinical and translational research. During the program, Winn CIPP Students will gain exposure to clinical research and acquire community engagement and leadership skills.

The 2023 Winn CIPP will take place during two 6-week program periods:

Group 1: Monday, June 5th – Friday, July 14th, 2023
Group 2: Monday, June 19th – Friday, July 28th, 2023

In 2023, Winn CIPP Site Partners will be located in the following cities*:

Group 1 Group 2

Chicago, IL Atlanta, GA

New Orleans, LA Los Angeles, CA

New York, NY San Antonio, TX

Richmond, VA Arizona/New Mexico (TBD)

Winn CIPP students receive a $7,500 stipend for their participation during the externship. During the program, they learn the basics of clinical trials and work at community-based clinical research organizations to provide outreach, education, and engagement on clinical trials. Students will receive training in three areas:

Clinical Research – Students gain clinical research exposure through engagement with clinical investigators in community-based clinical research organizations and academic medical centers.
Community Engagement – Students develop team-based service-learning projects, in which they conduct short-term capacity building interventions, such as community needs assessments or implement patient initiatives (education, outreach, and/or informational programs). Students will design and conduct their projects in collaboration with site supervisors.
Leadership Development – Students are introduced to clinical research career development pathways and receive mentoring that supports their development of community-oriented clinical research leadership skills.

We invite your URM medical students to apply for this program, and encourage you to share this announcement widely with your medical school colleagues (Program flyer attached). The application will be open through February 12, 2023, with an early decision deadline by January 8, 2023. Students may apply through the following link: https://winnawards.smapply.io/. More information about the program can be found on our Winn Awards website at https://diversityinclinicaltrials.org/.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at gemmaa@vcu.edu or email general questions to WinnCIPP@vcu.edu.

Thank you so much for your help to get the word out to your students!

Sincerely,

Ali