“Rare Opportunity for Young Researchers”
The Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN) annually offers early-career rare disease researchers this excellent training and networking opportunity. This is available to researchers associated with one of the RDCRN’s research consortia. (The Lysosomal Disease Network is one such RDCRN consortium.) The Rare Diseases Training Program is recruiting for the 2019 – 2020 academic year. More information about the Rare Diseases Training Program, as well as the form to complete and submit as part of your application, are available by clicking on the download link on this web page (scroll down). The Rare Disease Clinical Research Training Program accepts applications and sends-out acceptances on a rolling basis.
This academic-year-long course consists of both in-person and remote sessions providing the tools and mentoring needed for a successful career in rare diseases clinical research. Topics include: statistics in small populations, interactions with industry and pharmaceutical companies, successful grant writing, working with patient and family advocates and groups, research career design and planning, and successful publishing in the field of rare diseases.
Participation requires a 10% time-commitment from the applicant’s program chair or department chair for the applicant’s dedicated, focused research time. In addition, the program requires: two 2-day trips to the Washington, D.C. area; two 1-hour webinars per month; completion of a mentored research project with culmination in a poster presentation at the Fall 2020 RDCRN meeting in the Washington, D.C. area; and about 4 hours of projects/reading per month for preparation. Certificates will be awarded to participants completing at least 75% of the course content at or above acceptable levels. The first 2-day trip to the Washington, D.C. area will occur October 21-22, 2019.
Twenty competitive participants will be awarded a “funded” position. This funding will provide $1,000/year reimbursement towards attending the two 2-day trips to the Washington, D.C. area. Applicants can apply for the funded program (the “travel group”), while also indicating that they wish to be considered for the unfunded program if not chosen for funding. Up to twelve additional unfunded positions are available to excellent applicants this year.
Applicants are requested to submit the following: the completed downloadable application form (scroll down); their CV; and a letter of commitment from their supervisor supporting their participation in this Training Program, as well as offering to support any costs that exceed the reimbursed costs (if any) of participation in this Training Program.