Pathways to a Career in Clinical Research

The Workforce Engagement and Resilience team in DOCR supports pathways into the clinical research workforce. Click on the sections below to navigate this page.
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Duke State-Registered Clinical Research Apprenticeship Program 

Local Clinical Research Degree Programs 

Clinical Research Internships

K-12 Outreach  

The Durham Early College of Health Sciences  

State-Registered Clinical Research Apprenticeship (Coming Soon - Under Construction)

The Duke State-Registered Clinical Research Apprenticeship Program is designed to provide a direct and clear pathway for students into a clinical research career at Duke. Our pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs provide on-the-job training and protected time for structured supplemental education. The apprenticeship is a collaboration between DOCR and Duke clinical research units, ensuring apprentices receive supplemental education and on-the-job training with an experienced mentor.  

The program is in pilot with our partners at Durham Technical Community College with pre-apprentices and apprentices recruited from the Clinical Trials Research Associate degree program. 

Durham Technical Community College*: Education via Clinical Trials Research Associate's Degree

ApprenticeshipNC: NC state registration for program and liaison with U.S. Department of Labor 

Association for Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP): Apprentice assessments and pathways to certification

*Apprentices from other clinical research degree programs may be considered with approval from DOCR.

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ApprenticeshipNC Logo
ACRP Logo

  • Positions may be opened for individuals who are currently enrolled in a clinical research degree program (Pre-Apprentice) or who have recently completed a clinical research degree program (Apprentice). 

  • Apprentices are required to have protected time for 144 hours of supplemental education (provided by DOCR or other approved entities) and on-the-job training within a clinical research unit. 

  • Units collaborate with DOCR to hire individuals into the program, track training hours, assess apprentice competency, and report career progression. 

  • Pre-Apprentices and Apprentices are hired into DOCR with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for apprentice payment and placement within the unit upon successful completion of the program. 

INSERT GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF PATHWAY. 

A Pre-Apprentice position may be opened to recruit individuals who are currently enrolled in an approved clinical research degree program. Pre-apprentices are part-time employees who are finishing their degree and are paid an hourly wage as they complete their field-work requirements with a clinical research study team at Duke.  

Key Documents: 

Standards | Standards for Pre-Apprenticeship 

Job Description | Clinical Research Pre-Apprentice - 0805

An Apprentice position may be opened to recruit individuals who have completed an approved clinical research degree program. Those who successfully complete Pre-Apprenticeship requirements are eligible to progress into the Apprentice position via re-classification. Apprentices are full-time employees who are paid hourly while completing 144 hours of supplemental education through Duke offerings and receiving on-the-job experience and training from a study team.  

Key Documents: 

Standards | Standards for Apprenticeship 

Job Description | Clinical Research Apprentice - 0806

Interested in Hiring an Apprentice?

If your unit is interested in hiring an apprentice, please reach out to DOCR for more information. 

Contact Us

Local Clinical Research Degree Programs

Clinical research degree programs provide a strong academic foundation for those interested in the field or looking to further their clinical research career. DOCR collaborates with several clinical research degree programs to provide internship opportunities and pathways to employment. Duke employees may be eligible for tuition assistance to support further education in clinical research. Learn more about Duke Tuition Assistance benefits. 

A few programs to check out:  

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The Duke Office of Clinical Research is a member of the Consortium of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CoAPCR).

CoAPCR facilitates the development of high-quality educational programs encompassing all areas of clinical research that are based in academic credit-granting institutions.

You can find other degree programs in the CoAPCR Membership Directory. 

Clinical Research Internships

DOCR supports pathways into clinical research internships at Duke. Expand the sections below to learn more about available internship options and the key differences between unpaid internships through the Clinical Research Internship Portal (CRISP) and paid intern positions.

For more details on hiring or hosting interns, refer to the MyRESEARCHPath Guide on Hiring and Engaging Personnel, Students, and Volunteers and the DOCR Policy on Process for Adding Duke Students, Unpaid Volunteers, and Visiting Trainees/Interns to Study Personnel. 

The Clinical Research Internship Portal (CRISP) is a collaborative initiative between the Duke CTSI Workforce Development team and DOCR to support students completing internships as part of their training programs. CRISP is designed to: 

  • Streamline the process of matching students with departments that align with their academic and career interests. 

  • Manage affiliation agreements between Duke and academic institutions, ensuring clear placement parameters. 

  • Facilitate an efficient onboarding process for students entering Duke’s clinical research environment. 

For more information on CRISP internships, visit the CRISP website. 

Duke study teams may also post paid internships and entry-level roles to hire individuals seeking hands-on experience. CRISP and DOCR do not provide matching services for these types of paid positions. 

If your study team is interested in hiring an intern for project support, consider one of these hiring options: 

Clinical research internships supported by CRISP are designed as learning experiences, not as a substitute for staff positions. Duke Human Resources’ Policy on Volunteers and Unpaid Interns states that interns cannot replace employees or perform work that would typically require a hired staff member.

Key distinctions include:

  • Employment Status: Paid interns are hired into a specific role to support business needs, whereas unpaid interns through CRISP are here to learn. 

  • Work Expectations: Paid positions have defined job responsibilities and performance expectations, while unpaid interns engage in structured learning experiences tied to their academic objectives. 

  • Task Limitations: Unpaid interns have a more limited range of tasks they can perform, ensuring their experience remains educational rather than employment-based.

K-12 Outreach

Image of team at Durham Early College of Health Sciences event with Clinical Research board as a backdrop

If you would like to get involved, please feel free to reach out to emily.boone@duke.edu for now. The team is working on a formal volunteer registry, coming soon! 

DOCR partners with the Duke CTSI Workforce Development team to support K-12 outreach initiatives to inspire the next generation of clinical research professionals. Programs supported range from interactive sessions, educational events, job fairs, and partnerships with local schools. Clinical research professionals and faculty at Duke can get involved in K-12 outreach opportunities to share their expertise with the next generation.

The Durham Early College of Health Sciences

Durham Early College of Health Sciences Logo

DOCR supports work-based learning experiences for the Durham Early College of Health Sciences (DECHS) clinical research pathway. DECHS is a collaboration between Duke Health, Durham Public Schools, and Durham Technical Community College. The early college provides high school students with exposure and preparation for healthcare and clinical research careers through an innovative curriculum and hands-on learning experiences. This pathway is the first of its kind into the clinical research workforce.  

For more information, visit Durham Early College of Health Sciences and follow DECHS on Instagram and Facebook.