The Winn Career Development Award (Winn CDA), established by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation in 2020, addresses one of the most persistent challenges in medicine: ensuring all patients are represented in clinical research.

For decades, many of the populations most affected by disease have been underrepresented in clinical trials due to cultural, socioeconomic, and geographic barriers — and this lack of representation is a major scientific and ethical issue.

When research does not reflect the full spectrum of patients it aims to serve, the consequences can be serious. Treatment effects can vary in people with different genetic backgrounds; a drug proven effective in one group may be less effective — or even unsafe — for others. Equally important, many communities are often denied timely access to the most innovative, potentially life-saving therapies when they need them most.

The Winn CDA exists to change this reality. By training a new generation of community-oriented clinical trialists, we are building a national network of leaders who are transforming the research landscape.

The Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials: Career Development Award (Winn CDA) is a rigorous 2-yr program designed to train early-career investigator-physicians to design and implement clinical trials that engage more communities.

The purpose is to ensure that all the populations impacted by the disease being studied are reflected in research so that treatments developed are safe and effective for all who will use them. It’s a mission we call Better Science For All.

The scholars accepted into the prestigious Winn CDA program demonstrate excellence in care and research as well as profound dedication to ensuring the latest medical advances reach the communities that need them most.

Through structured education and mentorship, Winn CDA Scholars become community-oriented clinical trialists who have the skills and expertise to transform the ways that communities conduct research and deliver care.

Current Winn CDA clinical research areas include cancer, cardiovascular and cardio-metabolic disease, and neuropsychiatry. 

The Winn Career Development Award (Winn CDA) provides $120,000 annually for two years, intended to cover a portion of the scholar’s salary — approximately 40% of their time — allowing them the protected space needed to fully engage in the program’s intensive training and research activities.

The award is made possible and secured through the support of dedicated funding partners— the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, Gilead Sciences, Amgen, and Genentech. We are incredibly grateful for their steadfast commitment to our shared mission of advancing Better Science For All.

Each Winn CDA scholar is mentored by a seasoned clinical investigator at an active clinical trial site or institution and is expected to participate directly in their mentor’s clinical trial, which must meet the FDA’s Clinical Trial Definition. Scholars are not required to lead their own trials but gain essential hands-on experience in every phase of the process.

The Winn Career Development Award (Winn CDA) begins each fall with a virtual orientation in October, followed by an in-person, 4.5-day intensive workshop — the Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials: Design and Implementation of Clinical Trials Workshop, presented in partnership with the American Association for Cancer Research® (Winn-AACR DICT Workshop). The 2025 workshop will take place November 17–21 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and provides foundational training in clinical trial design, development, implementation, and community engagement.

Following the workshop, scholars embark on a two-year Community-Oriented Clinical Trialist (COCT) curriculumthat delivers comprehensive, hands-on training in clinical research and community engagement. The curriculum includes weekly or biweekly scholar forums, community engagement assignments, and a capstone project in which each scholar develops a mentored research protocol.

To guide their growth, every scholar creates an Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) — a roadmap built through self-assessment and close collaboration with their mentor. The program’s tiered mentoring model also provides opportunities for leadership: during the summer of their first year, scholars mentor medical students participating in the Winn Clinical Investigator Pathway Program.

Each year concludes with the Winn CDA Annual Convening, a three-day event held every November. The convening features sessions on increasing patient participation in clinical research, skills development workshops, and scholar capstone presentations.

Throughout the program, scholars are expected to remain active learners and contributors by submitting biannual status reports and annual funding reports documenting their progress and achievements.

Mentorship is a cornerstone of the Winn Career Development Award (Winn CDA). Each scholar is paired with an experienced clinical investigator who provides guidance on career development, professional growth, and navigating challenges and opportunities specific to researchers from underserved backgrounds. Mentors share insights from their own career journeys, offering lessons and strategies that have shaped their paths in clinical research.

Mentors also immerse scholars in hands-on clinical trial experience, engaging them in all aspects of trial administration and implementation. On average, mentorship is structured so that 75% of interactions focus on clinical trial activities, while the remaining 25% addresses career development, personal growth, and professional mentoring.

To ensure meaningful engagement, mentors and scholars are expected to hold at least four meetings per month, with a minimum of three sessions dedicated to clinical trial activities. This combination of practical experience and personalized guidance equips scholars to become skilled, confident, and community-oriented clinical investigators.