Research Associate Program

Weill Cornell Medicine’s Emergency Medicine Research Associate Program (RAP) exposes college and post-baccalaureate students to research activities within the emergency medicine setting, specifically at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine (NYP/WCM) and NYP/Lower Manhattan

Hospital (NYP/LMH). Research Associates (RAs) recruit patients to research studies and perform other research-related tasks between the hours of 8:30 AM – 8:30 PM, 7 days a week.

The Research Associate Program is a research program that occurs in a clinical setting. The program is designed to involve Research Associates in many elements of the performance of clinical research, while providing opportunities for observing clinical practice, and for extended interaction with clinical providers and patients. The program provides educational and practical experiences that increase knowledge about clinical research methodology and clinical care and may enhance participant’s application to medical or graduate school.

Participation in the program requires a year-long commitment that is split into two 6-month sessions (September to February, and March to August). During the first half, RAs are required to attend two, 6-hour shifts per week. During the second half, RAs have the option of cutting down to one, 6-hour shift per week, after completing the first half of the program. Scheduled training or lectures (2-4 dates per 6-month session) are also a requirement. Participation in the program is on a volunteer, unpaid basis.

The program offers Research Associates opportunities in the following three areas:

Clinical Practice

Interaction with patients through research (e.g., patient recruitment and interviews)
Observation of interdisciplinary patient care in a dynamic, fast-paced clinical environment at a world-class teaching hospital
General patient assistance (e.g., providing blankets or water to patients as appropriate)

Clinical Research: Theory and Practice

Theory: Training in epidemiological research methods and public health practice
Theory: Bioethics and research ethics
Practice: Performing clinical research protocols related to a variety of subject areas within emergency medicine
Practice: Data management and data entry; review of medical records
Theory & Practice: Didactic and practical learning about the content area of clinical research protocols

Networking

Interaction with attending and resident physicians and other clinical staff
Networking with other pre-health students
Opportunities to attend and participate in departmental symposiums

The Research Associate program is conducted under the auspices of the Division of Research in WCM’s Department of Emergency Medicine. The Program is directed by Dr. Deborah Levine, M.D., and is managed by Samara Benitez.

Application deadlines are:

September 30th at 11:59PM EST (Start date: March 1st)
March 31st at 11:59PM EST (Start date: September 1st)

For more information about the program, please click here.

The current application can be found here: https://weillcornell.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eXRquP3k33TuN2m

For More Information

Please email emRAinfo@med.cornell.edu or contact Samara Benitez (Research Coordinator, Department of Emergency Medicine) at ceo2001@med.cornell.edu with any questions.

RA Conference Accepted Abstracts

American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP 2025) - “Identifying Information Gaps in the Transfer of Patient Care from EMS to ED Triage”, Vincent Uy, MD, Eve Smith, RA, Ethan Szlezinger, RA, Shriman Balasubramanian, DO, Brady Rippon, MS.

Pediatric Academic Society (PAS 2025) “Recognition of Significant Physical Exam findings by Pre-Hospital Providers among Children with Respiratory Distress”, Vincent Uy, MD, Sophie Bronstein, RA, Eve Smith, RA, Deborah Levine, MD, Brady Rippon, MS, Munira Ahmed, RA.

Virtual Healthcare in the Mainstream Symposium 2025 (NYP/WCM) “Veamos Juntos: Increasing equitable access for Spanish-speaking families with limited English proficiency to virtual care through an educational program”, Johnny Guevara, RA, Ariel Sulcov, MPH, Maria Lame, MD, Will Simmons, MPH, Ji Won Kim, Divya Ganugapati

Emergency Medicine Research Symposium 2026 (NYP/WCM) “Simulation Training to Improve Informed Consent Practice Among Research Associates”, Sadie Stern, RA, Mohamed Khalifa, RA, Laibah Ashfaq, RA, Ethan Szlezinger, RA, Will Simmons, MPH, Kevin Ching, MD, Deborah A. Levine, MD

Emergency Medicine Research Symposium 2026 (NYP/WCM) “Veamos Juntos: Increasing equitable access for Spanish-speaking families with limited English proficiency to virtual care through an educational program”, Johnny Guevara, RA, Ariel Sulcov, MPH, Maria Lame, MD, Will Simmons, MPH, Ji Won Kim, Divya Ganugapati

Emergency Medicine Research Symposium 2026 “Clinician Gestalt and ISAR Score in Predicting 9-Day Return Visit Admissions in Older Emergency Department Patients”, Michelle Ma, RA, Nüma K. Molière, Derick Wu, RA, Tenzin Diki RA

Emergency Medicine Research Symposium 2026 “Predictive Value of Biological Sex for Determining Level of Care in Symptomatic Poisoned Patients”, Yash Jaggi, RA, Laibah Ashfaq, RA, Shreya Ranjan, Michael Chary MD

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM 2026) “A Clinical Decision Tool to Identify Heat Exhaustion in Emergency Department Patients”, Walid Farooqi, MD, Junaid Razzak, MD, Shane Pathenia, (MS4), Angelica Fernandez, RA, Beverly Ajao, RA, Soraya Behzadi, RA, Zahra Watson, RA

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM 2026) “Does Biological Sex Improve Prediction of Disposition After Potential Poisonings in the Emergency Department?”, Michael Chary, MD, Yash Jaggi, RA

*Italicized name represents the presenter