The Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment, Opioid Education, and Naloxone Distribution (SBIRT) Clinical Research Associate Internship offered by NYU Langone’s Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine grants students an opportunity to experience and observe multiple aspects of clinical research. The program consists of clinical, and when appropriate, nonclinical shifts in NYU Langone’s emergency departments (EDs).

Our program provides dedicated students with a distinctive opportunity to gain extensive insights into diverse career paths within the healthcare industry. These pathways encompass emergency medicine, substance and alcohol use counseling, social work, and public healthcare, among others. Whether participating during the academic year or summer, this research program immerses students in a wide range of clinical research tasks conducted within the NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue ED.

Research associates develop basic screening and assessment skills and gain basic research knowledge. Through screening, research associates become an integral part of research projects occurring in the Department of Emergency Medicine regarding substance use disorders. They will have the opportunity to collect and enter SBIRT screening data and maintain databases through the use of REDCap, participate in biweekly meetings with research staff, and gain principal investigator mentorship and clinical shadowing opportunities in the ED. Research associates also become oriented to various topics including treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD)/social determinants of health, motivational interviewing, homelessness and mental health, and risk management in the ED.

Internship Requirements

The Research Associate Internship is very demanding and requires a great deal of commitment on the part of the student.

This internship is not paid. We encourage you to research funding opportunities from your college or university. We are happy to complete any necessary paperwork to help secure your funding.

Research associates are required to commit to at least one four-hour clinical shift and one-hour nonclinical shift per week.

Research associates are also expected to attend biweekly evening or morning meetings being held by the research coordinators to further discuss topics related to SBIRT/research projects starting, or currently in, the ED.

Shifts take place every day of the week, including weekends, in four-hour time blocks. The first shift is 8:00AM to 12:00PM, and the last shift is 8:00PM to 12:00AM.

SBIRT-OEND Lab

Currently we are accepting all candidates for Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment, Opioid Education, and Naloxone Distribution (SBIRT-OEND) study and do not have any foreign language requirements.

The SBIRT-OEND study is a clinical initiative that takes place in the ED at Bellevue. The goal of SBIRT-OEND is to identify and deliver early intervention and treatment services to patients who screen positive for substance use, as well as those who are at risk of developing a substance use disorder. SBIRT-OEND screens patients for substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and a variety of drugs. Patients’ severity of substance use is assessed, and a tailored brief intervention is provided. Research associates have access to online training in how to conduct brief interventions through weekly assignments on the ED Stem platform. Patients who use, have used, or know people who use opioids are offered a naloxone kit and fentanyl and xylazine test strips. Naloxone is medication that counteracts the effects of an opioid overdose. Research associates also have access to online training in administering naloxone. These services are in addition to the regular services patients receive while in the ED.

SBIRT-OEND research associates are expected to dedicate one four-hour shift per week (though research associates can certainly dedicate more shifts, if desired and available). Shifts take place Monday through Friday from 8:00AM to 12:00PM, 12:00PM to 4:00PM, 4:00PM to 8:00PM, and 8:00PM to 12:00AM; and Saturday and Sunday from 8:00AM to 12:00PM, 12:00PM to 4:00PM, 4:00PM to 8:00PM, and 8:00PM to 12:00AM.

Responsibilities of SBIRT-OEND research associates include the following:

• screen and interact with patients using an approved script to identify those at risk
• identify risky substance use among patients, and provide them with appropriate intervention:
  • opportunistic identification: designed to find and help those not seeking help for their substance use disorder
  • preventative identification: may reduce likelihood that risky users will go on to become dependent on a substance
• assist ED staff with patient care
• attend biweekly evening or morning meetings
• complete weekly assignments on the ED Stem platform

How to Apply

Learn more about the Research Associate Internship application materials and timeline.