Internship

Summer High School Research Internship

Overview:

Interns will learn alongside a multidisciplinary BrainSPORT team of research scientists and clinicians led by Dr. Christopher Giza, Director of the UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Concussion Program and Chief of Pediatric Neurology at UCLA. Dr. Giza is an internationally recognized leader in concussion and TBI research, serving on national guideline panels and advisory committees for major sports leagues. The team is currently leading CARE4Kids, one of the largest and most comprehensive studies of adolescents with persistent post-concussion symptoms, involving neuroimaging, blood sampling, autonomic testing, and cognitive assessment. Applicants are encouraged to review the BrainSPORT webpage to learn more about ongoing projects.

Responsibilities:

Interns will engage in a structured educational experience centered on clinical research practices. Working alongside BrainSPORT study staff, they will learn how patients are recruited, how research data are managed, and how study protocols are implemented in a real-world clinical setting. Through participation in weekly Traumatic Brain Injury lab meetings, interns will gain meaningful insight into the day-to-day workflow, decision-making, and collaboration that drive clinical research. Students will work directly with other interns, UCLA undergraduate and graduate medical students who work in the UCLA BrainSPORT program. The internship will conclude with a final project in which interns present on a research topic of their choice.

Time Frame:

The internship with start in June and will end in August. Your time commitment will be three to four half-days per week, for approximately 16 hours per week.

Eligibility:

High school students are encouraged to apply, especially those interested in continuing the internship into the academic year and potentially serving as mentors to future interns.