OVERVIEW: An important goal of the SC CTSI is to develop pipelines for clinical research professionals with deep roots in our local communities.
Cal State University Los Angeles (CSULA) is a four-year public university located two miles from the USC Health Sciences Campus in East Los Angeles. It serves a highly diverse student body, many of whom come directly from the local communities served by the SC CTSI. SC CTSI has partnered with Cal State LA to create internship opportunities for students in public health, designed to expose and attract them to career options clinical research support and in community-engaged research.
GOALS: To attract individuals deeply invested in our local communities to careers in clinical and translational research.
CURRENT and FUTURE ACTIVITIES: The SC CTSI has worked with Cal State LA to design the internship program and become an approved internship site for CSULA students. Undergraduate and masters level students in public health are selected on a competitive basis to participate in 10-week internships composed of introductory training and on-the-job experience. Options include working with SC CTSI clinical study coordinators or with SC CTSI community engagement staff members. Interns gain real-world experience in team-based clinical and community research. Successful interns also have the opportunity to be linked to relevant job opportunities through the SC CTSI and other units at USC. The program launched in January 2023 in a hybrid format of virtual and in-person opportunities.