Career Education and Enhancement for Health Care Research Diversity (CEED) Program

Program Details

CEED is a 12-month program (starting July 1 and ending June 30) that is designed for fellows, postdocs, and junior faculty from underrepresented minorities with rigorous career development in a supportive, collegial environment. (The ICRE offers a second CEED program designed for medical students. Click here for more information about CEED II.)



Fellow, postdoctoral trainees, and junior faculty who are interested in pursuing a career in clinical and translational science and are from underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply. This includes individuals from African American, Hispanic, Native/American, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Island populations and individuals with disabilities. Scholars should meet the following criteria:

  1. Have a doctoral degree (e.g., MD, PhD, PharmD, DMD, DDS).
  2. Are committed to a career in clinical, basic, or translational research.
  3. Are prepared to devote 12 consecutive months to research training (and have at least 50% protected effort).

The program consists of a monthly seminar series, coursework, and mentorship.

  • Monthly Seminar Series. The core of the CEED program is the Monthly Seminar Series, in which CEED Scholars have an opportunity to present their research projects and receive critiques and encouragement in a collegial and friendly environment. Presentations are complemented by a variety of talks designed to frontload important information and/or skills need to succeed in an academic research environment. Click here for an upcoming schedule.
  • Required Courses. CEED Scholars are required to participate in the following courses with exceptions made if the Scholar has already taken a similar course.
    1. CLRES 2050: Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research.
      This course presents an in-depth examination of ethical issues in the conduct of clinical research. Topics include issues related to privacy, confidentiality, protection of human and animal subjects, informed consent and the role of the IRB in ensuring the responsible conduct of research.
    2. CLRES 2071 and 2072: Advanced Grant Writing Part I and II.
      The purpose of the integrated methods course is to build on the skills learned in the methodological core and provide a hands-on research experience. Trainees will learn the phases of the research process from conception to design and, ultimately, to implementation of the research.
    3. MEDEDU 2140: Medical Writing and Presentation Skills
      This course helps CEED Scholars develop excellent medical writing and presentation skills through a combination of lectures, readings, and individual and small-group projects. Read more.
  • Mentoring. CEED Scholars identify in their application a faculty mentor who will help him or her create a research career development plan. Scholars are required to meet with their mentor and the CEED Program Directors to set personalized goals for the upcoming program year. Scholars may have more than one mentor. The mentoring relationship is enhanced by the annual Mentoring Matters Workshop.
    • Mentoring Matters Workshop. Whether Scholars are beginning in their research career and looking for direction, or are interested in discovering and developing their leadership skills or learning how to work effectively in collaborative teams, this workshop will provide them with some of the skills required for successful career development in both basic and clinical research. The interactive one-day workshop will provide insight into developing a mission statement to guide your career, finding the best mentor to help achieve your goals, developing expectations for the mentoring relationship, and finding strategies for ensuring success. The workshop provides a unique opportunity for scholars to work with a diverse and multidisciplinary group of senior faculty members and to network with both basic and clinical researchers from across the schools of the health sciences.

Scholars must pay for the courses they are required to take under the CEED Program, although faculty members may apply their faculty benefits. We recommend Scholars discuss potential support with their department chair or division chief.


Institute for Clinical Research Education
200 Meyran Avenue, Suite 300
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

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