Research Intern (Academic Credit) - Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology - Per Diem (On-site)

About Us:

We are a leading research institution committed to advancing scientific knowledge and innovation. Our team is dedicated to conducting ground breaking research and providing meaningful learning opportunities for aspiring scientists. Join us and contribute to our mission while gaining invaluable experience in a dynamic and collaborative environment.

The Research Internship program provides students and trainees an opportunity to develop basic research skills. Interns in this program are provided the opportunity to experience and observe many different aspects of basic, translational and/or clinical research. This program offers interns a unique experience, which is intended to provide a wealth of knowledge about the numerous options for a career in healthcare research. Typically lasting not more than a twelve-month period, this internship will expose participants to a diverse spectrum of clinical and non-clinical based research investigations. Under direct supervision from the assigned Postdoctoral Scientist, senior-level Research Associate and/or Principal Investigator, the intern will be provided with basic research instruction, will be oriented to the Institutional Review Board and other Human Subjects courses, and will be introduced to new and innovative research practices and techniques.

Overview of Department & Mentor

The Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Cedars-Sinai provides comprehensive clinical care and conducts clinical and translational research in liver disease, including alcohol-associated liver disease, metabolic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver transplantation. The research program includes observational and prospective clinical studies focused on disease outcomes, risk prediction, biomarkers, and clinical data analysis. The intern will enroll under Judong Yang, MD on their course contract, and directly mentored and supervised by Hyunseok Kim, MD, MPH, PhD, a transplant hepatologist whose research focuses on alcohol-associated liver disease and clinical outcomes research.

Role Summary & Objectives
 
This research internship will provide UCLA students receiving academic credit with a structured educational experience in clinical hepatology research. Under faculty supervision, the intern will learn principles of clinical research methodology, human-subjects research, literature review, clinical data collection and abstraction, research database management, data quality assessment, basic statistical analysis, and interpretation of research findings. The intern will gain experience in developing research questions and understanding how clinical data are used to investigate outcomes in patients with liver disease. Depending on progress and interest, the intern may also participate in preparation of research presentations, abstracts, and manuscripts.

Role Activities & Timeline

Weeks 1-2: Orientation to the research program, research objectives, study protocols, responsible conduct of research, patient confidentiality, and applicable IRB requirements. Training in approved Cedars-Sinai research systems and databases as appropriate.

Weeks 3-6: Supervised literature review and clinical research data abstraction and organization for approved hepatology research projects. Training in data definitions, data quality control, and maintenance of research databases.

Weeks 7-10: Continued supervised data collection and quality assessment, introduction to basic data analysis, and discussion of interpretation of clinical research findings.

Weeks 11-12: and ongoing: Review and interpretation of findings with the research team. Depending on the student's progress, participation in preparation of research summaries, presentations, abstracts, and/or manuscripts.

The intern will meet regularly with the direct supervisor and/or research team for mentorship, review of progress, research education, and feedback throughout the appointment.
 

Qualifications

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. 

Preferred Education & Experience

• Current undergraduate or graduate student enrolled at UCLA and eligible to receive academic credit for the internship. 
• Interest in Medicine, Biology, Public Health, Epidemiology, Data Science, or clinical research is preferred. 
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills are desirable. 
• Prior experience with clinical research, statistics, data management, or scientific literature review is helpful but not required.