Join a collaborative clinical research team focused on advancing the understanding of how cancer therapies impact cardiovascular health. This internship offers hands-on exposure to clinical cancer outcomes research within the growing field of cardio-oncology, with a particular emphasis on gastrointestinal and thoracic cancers.
Interns will work closely with a physician-scientist mentor and multidisciplinary research teams in a leading academic medical environment. This experience is designed to provide foundational research training, exposure to clinical oncology workflows, and practical experience with patient data collection and analysis.
Role Summary
This internship provides an educational and collaborative research experience for individuals interested in medicine, oncology, cardiovascular research, public health, or clinical sciences. Interns will gain introductory knowledge in cardio-oncology research principles, clinical cancer outcomes research, and patient data abstraction from electronic health records and radiation oncology systems.
Through mentorship and guided training, interns will:
Learn principles of clinical research design and execution
Develop skills in patient clinical data collection and interpretation
Gain exposure to oncology treatment planning and cardiovascular risk assessment
Participate in scientific discussions, literature review, and research presentations
Work alongside recognized scientists and researchers in a state-of-the-art research environment
Primary Responsibilities
Review research project background and objectives with mentor
Participate in clinical research activities, including planning, preparation, data collection, evaluation, and analysis
Conduct chart review and collect patient clinical data from electronic medical records and radiation oncology systems
Extract and organize laboratory, imaging, treatment, and health history data
Perform literature searches and review scientific publications related to cardio-oncology and cancer outcomes research
Analyze and interpret research data
Prepare summaries, presentations, posters, and research communications
Participate in weekly research meetings, seminars, and networking activities
Learning Objectives
By the end of the internship, participants are expected to:
Understand the fundamentals of clinical research design and methodology
Gain introductory knowledge of cardio-oncology concepts and cardiovascular complications related to cancer therapy
Become familiar with cancer staging, treatment modalities, and cardiovascular risk factors
Develop experience conducting chart review and clinical data abstraction
Learn principles of healthcare data management and analysis
Strengthen scientific communication and presentation skills
Systems & Tools Training
Interns will receive training on:
REDCap - clinical research database management and data entry
CS-Link - electronic medical record data collection
Mosaiq and Eclipse - radiation oncology treatment planning systems and radiation dose data collection
Orientation to research objectives and cardio-oncology concepts
Training in protected health information (PHI) handling and institutional compliance protocols
Introduction to electronic medical record navigation and radiation treatment planning systems
Phase 2: Foundation Building
Begin supervised clinical data collection from patient records
Learn to identify cardiovascular risk factors and cancer treatment variables
Develop familiarity with radiation dose metrics and cardiac substructure analysis
Phase 3: Skill Development & Analysis
Participate in data analysis and interpretation activities
Attend weekly team meetings and research discussions
Prepare preliminary findings and data summaries
Practice scientific communication and presentation delivery
Phase 4: Independent Research & Project Development
Conduct increasingly independent research activities
Contribute to data interpretation and project discussions
Develop poster and presentation materials
Participate in broader healthcare workforce and research initiatives as appropriate
Ongoing Activities Throughout the Internship
Weekly mentorship and progress meetings
Participation in research team meetings and literature discussions
Attendance at academic seminars and investigator lecture series
Networking opportunities with peers and faculty
Continued training in healthcare data management and clinical research methodologies
Additional Information
This role does not involve handling biological specimens or laboratory samples.
Interns will work with protected health information (PHI) during primary clinical data collection.
All PHI access and data handling will occur on institution-approved systems and devices.
Comprehensive training on patient privacy, data security, and compliance protocols will be provided before any data access is granted.
Ideal Candidate
Interest in medicine, oncology, cardiology, public health, or clinical research
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
Ability to work independently and collaboratively
Interest in scientific inquiry and healthcare research
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Prior coursework or exposure to biology, health sciences, or research methods is helpful but not required
Qualifications
This role is designed to be 100% onsite, giving you the opportunity to collaborate closely with your team and immerse yourself in the energy of our workplace. Please note that hybrid or remote work options are NOT available for this position at this time.
Required Education & Experience
Must be 18 years of age or older.
Must have a HS Diploma or GED.
Must reside in the greater Los Angeles area or surrounding cities while conducting all activities related to the intern or visitor appointment.
INTERNS: Those participating for academic credit must receive academic credit for the duration of the internship.
VISITORS: Must be receiving funding from an eligible sponsoring institution (employer, educator, funder, etc.).
