Two University of Kentucky College of Medicine students joined the fifth cohort of the Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials Clinical Investigator Pathway Program (Winn CIPP), a nationally recognized program that prepares future physicians to advance clinical research and expand access to innovative treatments.
Nisha Suresh, a second-year student at the UK College of Medicine-Northern Kentucky Campus, and Caleh Collins, a second-year student in Lexington, were chosen for the six-week externship program. The competitive program accepted 80 medical students for its fifth cohort, out of a record 474 applications from across the country.
Winn CIPP introduces medical students to community-based clinical research through hands-on learning, mentorship and service. Participants are placed at clinical research sites across the country where they work alongside experienced investigators and develop projects focused on research, community engagement and leadership.
The program is designed to prepare the next generation of physicians and clinical researchers who can help connect patients with clinical trial opportunities and ensure advances in medicine reach communities that have historically faced barriers to participating in research and clinical trials.
Through Winn CIPP, students gain firsthand experience conducting research projects, engaging with community partners and learning how clinical trials can improve patient outcomes. Participants also receive mentorship from established clinical investigators and emerging research leaders, helping them explore career pathways in clinical research and academic medicine.