For several years, the Pediatric Trials Network (PTN) has partnered with the Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) program. The STAR Program is a national resource that aims to introduce trainees to clinical research using a team-based, project-centered approach with dedicated mentorship. Participants engage in secondary analyses of existing PTN or PTN-partner data.
The in-person program, held at the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, NC, lasts five weeks and provides a quality research experience for undergraduate and medical students during the summer academic break. The program places students in teams and matches them with Duke faculty mentors to work on an original project, which culminates in a complete research paper. A goal of the program is to have every student qualify for co-authorship on a peer-reviewed manuscript related to their team’s project.
The 2026 session of the STAR Program welcomed 33 students; 25 were in medical school and 8 were undergraduates. PTN team members participated in mentorship of the students and oversaw the students’ analysis of the pharmacokinetics of two drugs, clindamycin and azithromycin, and how these drugs affect breastfeeding mothers and their infants. At the end of the program, the students presented their findings on these and other projects.
Several PTN team members planned and contributed to this year’s STAR Program session by sharing information about team science and clinical research operations, as well as specific day-to-day activities of the PTN. They also hosted a workshop about the informed consent process.
“I was amazed by the students’ enthusiasm for learning about the people, processes, and day-to-day work that make clinical research possible,” said Rachel Randell, MD, MSCR, a STAR Mentor. “They especially enjoyed the interactive workshops and learning directly from professionals in the field, including several members of the PTN. For me, personally, the most exciting part was seeing a genuine interest in clinical research spark for these students, and I believe this experience will be career-defining for many of them. This experience was a highlight of the summer for all of us, and we are excited to do it again next year.”