Building Pathways to Clinical Research Careers: Partnerships With Academic Programs to Provide Students With Experiential Learning Opportunities in Clinical Research

Abstract

Problem: The practice of evidence-based medicine relies on clinical research to develop innovations in treatment and prevention. Clinical research professionals (CRPs) are critical to the development of safe and effective health interventions that guide medical practice, yet several challenges threaten the stability of the clinical research workforce. A lack of clear career pathways, inconsistent training standards, and underrepresentation of diverse populations in the workforce inhibit growth of the profession, contribute to high turnover and staffing shortages, and impact the ability to conduct research at clinical sites and academic medical centers. Without structured pathways to attract and guide new professionals to the field, the demand for trained CRPs to conduct the increasing number of clinical trials supporting academic medicine will remain unmet.

Approach: Duke University partnered with academic clinical research programs at Durham Technical Community College and North Carolina Central University to establish experiential learning pathways facilitating entry into the clinical research workforce. Between January 2021 and May 2024, clinical research students completed a training program, including intake and matching, onboarding, preceptor preparation and goal setting, an internship period, and evaluation.

Outcomes: Forty-seven students completed learning experiences under this partnership model. Of these, 14 (29.8%) secured employment in clinical research, including 8 at Duke, 2 at another academic medical center, and 4 in private industry. Structured experiential learning in clinical research confirmed that experiential learning complemented academic training and improved understanding of clinical research roles. In addition, centralized onboarding, initial training, and professional development workshops provide clear guidelines for interns and mentors across all learning pathways.

Next steps: Duke is working to expand the network of clinical research preceptors and mentors within this partnership model. Duke will engage research managers to showcase the benefits of hosting clinical research students and highlight streamlined administrative processes.