Research In Action

Leaning into Multidisciplinary Collaboration

Leaning into the “multidisciplinary” nature of the Center for Injury Research and Prevention, this year our Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) injury science internship program collaborated with other CHOP summer undergraduate internships to increase networking and educational opportunities for all interns. The summer internships at CHOP have been developed with different career paths in mind: our REU program is primarily designed for those planning to pursue a Master’s or PhD in the future; other programs are designed for those students seeking either pre-med or research administration experiences. Typically, once a student is accepted into a program, that student will complete their entire internship with just that group.

Finding Common Ground

In developing the educational seminar schedule for the REU program, Training Director Tom Seacrist and I connected with the leaders from other CHOP undergraduate summer internship programs and discovered we had a number of overlapping seminar topics! In order to deliver the best experience for all the interns while creating the least amount of burden on the seminar speakers, we created joint sessions for interns from across the CHOP internship programs to attend together. We also opened our program-specific sessions to other groups to attend virtually if they were interested.

The joint sessions covered a range of professional development topics designed to prepare students for future academic and career opportunities. These included sessions on writing effective résumés, preparing for job interviews, scientific writing and communication, as well as interactive career panels featuring professionals from diverse fields, educational backgrounds, and career paths. In addition, students participated in networking events aimed at building connections and fostering mentorship.

Making New Connections

Through these new collaborations, interns from the REU and other programs had the opportunity to broaden their exposure to fields beyond their original internship interests—sparking potential new career pathways. They also had the opportunity to network with professionals and experts in a wide range of fields and connect with fellow students from across the country. By coming together across disciplines and programs, we created space for curiosity, new ideas, and shared inspiration.

Learn more about CHOP research internships

• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Pediatric Center of Excellence in Nephrology (CPCEN)
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute Summer Scholars Program (CRISSP)
• Injury Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program
• Advancing Representation in Research Administration (ARRA) Program