Mentored Research Training Program

Central to our mission in Pediatrics is to train academic physician-scientists who will conduct tomorrow’s research and be responsible for future scientific advances that will promote the health and well being of infants, children and adolescents. Dr. Joseph W. St. Geme, III, Professor of Pediatrics, was awarded a National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health that will fund research training of Pediatric fellows within this Department of Pediatrics and prepare them for careers in academic pediatrics.

The key components for an effective research training program include:

Excellent mentors
Talented motivated trainees
Creative research experiences
Faculty mentoring program
Careful assessment of trainees’ progress
Courses appropriate for participants' training and success

The faculty, facilities, and resources at Duke University collectively constitute an ideal research training experience.

Core components of the mentored research training program include dedicated mentorship by accomplished faculty and core courses in the Responsible Conduct of Research and Scientific Writing as well as oral communications. The fellow will be matched with a mentor based on mutual scientific interest and will continue to work with the mentor from inception to completion of the research project. Fellows will be expected to submit a K08 or K23 grant at the completion of the program to support continuation of their research career.

For those interested in a career in clinical research, there are additional courses on Statistical Methods, Principals of Clinical Research, Ethical Issues in Clinical Research and Statistical Analysis. Elective courses are offered in Clinical Trials, Health Services Administration, Genetic Analysis of Human Disease, and Genomics and the Biotechnology Revolution. During the training period, it also is possible to obtain a Master’s of Health Sciences in Clinical Research through the Duke Clinical Research Institute. This degree is awarded by the Duke University School of Medicine.

Individuals interested in basic research careers can take courses focused on genomic applications to human disease, including Analysis of Genetic Data, Computational Functional Genomics, Introduction to Statistical Methods, Genome Information and Sequence Analysis, Genome Technologies, and Molecular Genetics & Human Disease. Electives are offered in Cell Signaling, Genetic Approaches to Solution of Biological Problems, and Genetics and the Biotechnology Revolution.

To be eligible, candidates must be either a US citizen or a US permanent resident before applying. Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

For additional information about these unique opportunities for mentored research training, contact the Director of the specific training program that interests you.