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Trainee Research Development & Programs

Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta are developing the next generation of pediatric scientists through structured programming and a resource-rich culture of collaboration and creativity. Our supportive umbrella program ensures research mentorship and resources are available at every stage of the career continuum, from medical and graduate school through post-graduate MD, PhD, and MD/PhD residencies and fellowships.

All students, trainees, and early career faculty at Emory University who are interested in research have access to:

  • Diverse biomedical research conducted across Emory, Georgia Tech, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta 
    • In 2018, Emory scientists received more than $550 million in research funding, $138 million of which was child health related.
    • The Department of Pediatrics (DOP) trains more PhD students than any other department at Emory. DOP includes 177 faculty members who are conducting research, 149 of whom are extramurally funded as principal investigators and 17 of whom receive more than $1 million annually in NIH funding.
    • This environment translates into an abundance of well-funded mentors who are excited to train the next generation of pediatric scientists!
  • Monthly “K-Club” seminars on how to develop a successful research career development grant application. Each session includes both didactic instruction and interactive dialogue with expert panel members.
  • Several annual events with judged oral and poster presentations where you can present your own research projects and/or network:
  • Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance (CTSA) resources, which include but are not limited to:
    • Training resources and seminars
    • NIH supported programs for KL2, TL1, the Masters of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR), and a translation certification program
    • Opportunities to collaborate with multi-disciplinary, world-renowned teams of pediatric researchers based in Georgia

Additional opportunities and resources for specific groups are described in the following tabs.

All post-graduate trainees (MD, PhD, and MD/PhD) have access to:

  • Subsidized research services through a system of research cores, including:
  • Participation in Emory’s institutional training and career development grants, which currently include:
    • Atlanta Pediatric Scholars Program, sponsored by the NICHD Child Health Research Career Development (K12) Award, for those interested in basic science.
    • BIRWCH K12
    • NIGMS IRACDA Fellowships in Research and Science Teaching [FiRST]
    • A variety of NIH-supported T32 grants, which currently include: Critical Care, Transplantation Science, Lung Health, Environmental Health Science and Toxicology, Inequities in Cardiovascular Health, Nephrology, Cardiology, Vaccinology, Transfusion Medicine, Neurology, Non-Malignant Hematology, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, and Oncology.
  • Competitive funding to support independent research projects through the Buchter Resident Research Award and Warshaw Fellow Research Award (eligible trainees include medical residents within the Emory Department of Pediatrics, MD and MD/PhD fellows within the Emory Department of Pediatrics or in an academic department within the Emory+Children's Pediatric Institute, and pediatric psychology (PhD) fellows in the Emory Department of Pediatrics)

              

Post-graduate MD and MD/PhD resident trainees with a strong interest in academic medicine are invited to apply for the Pediatric Residency Investigative Scholars at Emory (PRISE) track. The goal of PRISE is to develop high caliber pediatrician scientists with the potential for long-term impact on child health. Graduates of the PRISE track will have strong professional identities as pediatrician scientists and will be competitive for career development awards (e.g. NICHD-funded K12 program, K08, K23, K99/R00). The PRISE+ Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) includes several tracks. The R38 track is an NHLBI funded track specifically designed for MDs or DOs with substantial research experience who want more time during residency to devote to research. The American Board of Pediatrics-approved Integrated Research Pathway (IRP) or Accelerated Research Pathway (ARP) tracks are MD/PhDs with strong research backgrounds. Emphasis in all PRISE tracks is on a tailored, flexible, and supportive environment for each scholar to conduct their highest caliber research while learning to provide excellent clinical care. Please click here for more information.

All MD and MD/PhD residents within the Emory Department of Pediatrics are eligible to apply for funding to support research projects through the Buchter Resident Research Award. This award provides up to $2,500 over a one or two year period for an independent, hypothesis-driven research project.

One of the unique advantages of pediatric fellowship training at Emory and Children’s is a common core curriculum for all fellows irrespective of subspecialty. The first year of the common curriculum includes the FIRsT (Fellows Introduction to Research Training) course.​

  • FIRsT provides pediatric fellows with an overview and introduction to clinical and translational research in the academic setting.
  • Didactic sessions, panel discussions, and interactive opportunities provide forums for fellows to gain an appreciation of the fundamentals of clinical and translational research, biostatistics, epidemiology, the research enterprise, and practical and applied aspects of conducting research.
  • The course is held over a 20-hour period, comprised of 4-hour sessions for 5 days during the fall.
  • Please visit the Emory Department of Pediatrics Core Fellowship Curriculum page for more information about this and other core pediatric fellowship courses.

All MD and MD/PhD fellows within the Emory Department of Pediatrics or in an academic department within the Emory+Children's Pediatric Institute are eligible to apply for funding to support research projects through the Warshaw Fellow Research Award. This award provides up to $5,000 over a one or two year period for an independent, hypothesis-driven research project.

Emory School of Medicine has one of the largest and most comprehensive programs for postdoctoral training in the country. Our postdocs have access to a strong network of support services and partnering organizations throughout the Atlanta biomedical community. Please visit the Office of Postdoctoral Training for more information. 

List of short-medium term pediatric research projects. This is a resource that may be used by medical students, pediatric residents, and other trainees to identify research mentors and potential pediatric research projects.

Become a Discovery Phase Faculty Mentor

Discovery Phase is a 5-month period during which all medical students conduct full-time research under the guidance of an experienced faculty mentor. Learn more about becoming a faculty mentor and how to update your information if you are already a faculty mentor. 

Potential Discovery Phase Projects are listed in the 'POTENTIAL TRAINEE RESEARCH PROJECTS' tab on this page.