For Students

A CRISP internship provides valuable real-world experience that enhances your understanding of clinical research and prepares you for a successful career in this field.  Benefits include: 

• Working in a mentored team environment that supports learning in clinical research.
• Gaining experience in administrative tasks, documentation, observation, and data tasks.
• Participating in professional development opportunities such as workshops, seminars, and mentorship programs that will make you a more competitive candidate for future roles.

Interns learn about various professional expectations through their completion of a required online training module, "Getting Started with Your Clinical Research Internship." These expectations are essential for creating a positive and productive environment for both the interns and the study team. While you, as the internship preceptor, will establish specific expectations for each intern’s experience, the general guidelines below are the standards we encourage all interns to strive for:

• Punctuality: Interns are expected to arrive on time for meetings, shifts, and assignments. This is not only a sign of respect but also ensures that they make the most of their learning opportunities.
• Communication: Clear and respectful communication is key to a successful internship. Encourage your intern to maintain open lines of communication with you and your team, ensuring that questions, concerns, and updates are shared promptly.
• Dress Code: Your department may have a specific dress code. Interns should adhere to these guidelines as it demonstrates their commitment to professionalism and helps them integrate seamlessly into the work environment.
• Confidentiality: We require students to sign agreements that indicate they must respect the confidentiality of patient data and sensitive research information.
• Curious: Interns should be curious and seek guidance. We want them to clearly identify their needs and organize their thoughts to make the most of the internship.
• Accountability: Interns should act in a professional manner by taking accountability for their work.
• Open-Mindedness: In the training, we encourage interns to keep an open mind, avoid jumping to conclusions, and develop informed opinions by observing how you and your team organize your ideas and respond to questions. 
• Flexibility: Intern responsibilities may vary depending on the needs of your project. We encourage students to remain flexible and open to completing different and unexpected tasks.
• Advanced Notice: Interns should keep you informed by providing advanced noticed when they will be away or busy due to classes, exams, holidays, vacations, or sick days.

Below are several tasks you may perform during your internship. This list is not exhaustive, and the specific tasks you undertake will depend on your placement.

Administrative Tasks and Documentation

• Assisting with Relevant Administrative Tasks to Learn about Study Documentation: Interns can help with filing and organizing study-related documents. They should be guided on what the documents are for and how this activity fits into the overall operational plan for the study. ​
• Study Materials Preparation: Interns can help create and assemble study materials like recruitment flyers, social media posts, and educational materials about the study, and can learn about the approval processes required for each document or form of communication.  ​
• Study Documentation: An intern could assist in drafting or editing study-related documents, including informed consent forms, study protocols, and standard operating procedures.  ​
• IRB Submissions: Interns can assist in preparing documents for Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval by doing things like comparing the documentation to an IRB checklist to see if anything is missing. ​
• Study Meeting Coordination: Interns can help organize and coordinate study meetings, prepare meeting agendas, and take meeting minutes. 

Learning and Observation/Shadowing​

• Observational Learning: Observe and shadow experienced researchers and study team members during various stages of the research process. 
• Training Opportunities: Take part in Duke training sessions and workshops for staff.
• Exploration Outside of Study Team: Interns could be given the opportunity to tour other areas at Duke to gain an understanding of the research process outside of your unit (e.g., Investigational Drug Services Pharmacy, IRB Meeting, Duke Early Phase Clinical Research Unit, Research at Pickett Road, clinical labs, etc.)
• Practicing Vital Signs: Interns cannot perform medical procedures on participants and record those data for a study, as this needs to be done by a trained study team member. However, the intern could practice coordinator activities (like taking vital signs) on members of the study team as long as those data are not saved for study purposes. 
• Literature Reviews and Summaries: Conduct literature reviews to support research development and compile summaries of relevant articles.

Participant Engagement and Study Conduct

• Participant Recruitment: Interns can engage in recruiting study participants by assisting in outreach efforts, helping draft participant engagement materials, and observing screening interviews and conversations around the study's purpose and benefits. ​
• Informed Consent: Interns can help draft informed consent documents and observe the informed consent process. Non-Duke interns are not allowed to conduct or document the consent process. However, Duke undergraduate interns can help with conducting consent for some minimal-risk studies following the Duke Health IRB Policy on Undergraduates Conducting the Consent Process.   ​
• Participant Retention and Follow-Up: Interns can be involved in retention and follow-up activities, such as helping create newsletters for participants, sending birthday cards, drafting reminders, and tracking participant progress. ​
• Community Outreach: Interns can be involved in community outreach initiatives and recruitment events to raise awareness about the study and its potential impact and/or educate the community about clinical research.

Data Tasks:

• Data Collection: Interns could be offered the opportunity to observe data collection activities and the ALCOA+ steps involved in ensuring accuracy
• Data Entry and Management: When allowable according to the requirements described in the Data Security lesson, interns can assist in data entry, data cleaning, and ensuring data accuracy and completeness within the study database.
• Data Analysis Support: Under direct supervision of appropriately knowledgeable faculty or staff, interns can assist in data analysis tasks, including basic statistical analyses and data visualization.
• Qualitative Data Capture: Under supervision of appropriately knowledgeable faculty or staff, interns can assist with setting up spaces for focus groups or town halls, serve as a recorder, and take notes.

The duration of the internship can be tailored to fit your schedule and preferences, in consultation with your supervisor. Internships may range from a full semester to a summer

You can apply to CRISP whether or not you already have a preceptor.  If you have a preceptor, please have him/her review the eligibility for a CRISP intern to verify you are eligible for CRISP.

If you do NOT have a preceptor, please review the information on this website to determine if you are eligible for CRISP.  If you are eligible, please complete and submit an Internship Request, and CRISP will try to match you with a preceptor.  CRISP does NOT guarantee placement with a preceptor. 

I am affiliated with Duke:

I am a Duke Campus Graduate Student

This information is for individuals who are current Duke graduate students on Duke Campus and NOT part of the School of Medicine

If you are a Duke Campus Graduate student and you WILL be interacting with study participants, you need to complete and submit a request to CRISP.  Please see the Contact CRISP section and submit the requested information. 

If you are a Duke Campus Graduate student and you WILL NOT be interacting with study participants, do NOT submit a request to CRISP.  Please contact your study coordinator and request to be added to study Key Personnel as a “Graduate Student.”

I am a Duke School of Medicine or Nursing graduate student

If you are a current graduate student in the Duke School of Medicine or Duke School of Nursing, you do NOT need to submit a request to CRISP.  Please contact your study coordinator and request to be added to study Key Personnel in the most appropriate role.

I am a Duke undergraduate student

I will be paid for my work on the study OR it is part of work-study
You do NOT need to submit a request to CRISP.  Please contact your study coordinator and request to be added to study Key Personnel in the most appropriate role.

I will NOT be paid for my work.
Please confer with your preceptor as whether or not you need to complete and you need to complete and submit a request to CRISP.  Please see the Contact CRISP section and submit the requested information. 

I am not affiliated with Duke.  I am from another institution.  How do I apply to CRISP?

In order to be eligible to participate in an internship at Duke, YOU MUST BE FROM ONE OF THE FOLLOWING INSTITUTIONS:

• Duke University
• Campbell University
• Case Western Reserve University
• Durham Technical Community College
• East Carolina University
• Elon University
• Greensboro College
• Meredith College
• NC A&T
• North Carolina Central University
• Northern Illinois University
• Robert Morris University
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• University of North Carolina, Charlotte
• University of North Carolina, Greensboro
• University of North Carolina, Wilmington
• University of North Florida
• Warren Wilson
• Watts College of Nursing

If you are currently attending one of the institutions listed above and want to participate in an internship at Duke, you need to complete and submit a request to CRISP.  Please see the Contact CRISP section and submit the requested information. 

• Duke University
• Campbell University
• Case Western Reserve University
• Durham Technical Community College
• East Carolina University
• Elon University
• Greensboro College
• Meredith College
• NC A&T
• North Carolina Central University
• Northern Illinois University
• Robert Morris University
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• University of North Carolina, Charlotte
• University of North Carolina, Greensboro
• University of North Carolina, Wilmington
• University of North Florida
• Warren Wilson
• Watts College of Nursing

NO, you are not eligible. 

It usually takes 3-6 months to formalize the legal agreement between Duke and an institution so that Duke can accept potential interns.  We generally partner with schools from which we expect a steady stream of interns.

Although you might not be eligible for CRISP, Duke has additional resources that might align with your interests.

• Center for Pathways Program: For students and professionals, the Center serves as a starting point from which anyone interested in STEM or medicine can find programs that fit their interests and life stage. 
• Duke’s STAR Program: The Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program provides a high-quality research experience for undergraduate students, high school students, and middle and high school teachers during the summer academic break. 
• Work-study: If you are a Duke student who has applied for financial aid and have been offered work-study, you have an opportunity to gain great work experience and network with professionals in the Duke community. 
• College Student Program: Duke University Hospital is pleased to offer a volunteer program for college students. Although the program is designed to meet core competencies for students considering a career in health professions, volunteering is open to all majors.