
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
PeDRA offers a mentorship program for trainees, early career, and mid-career clinician scientists interested in developing their skill set and growing their network to advance their careers in pediatric dermatology research. The program is designed to foster meaningful relationships between early investigators and more established investigators in the field. These relationships are intended to build the professional networks of burgeoning clinician scientists, while also providing career development training and advancing active and future research.
2021-2022 Mentorship Program enrollment period has closed. If you would like to be placed on a mentee waitlist, please email Jenn Dawson.
PeDRA is always in need of mentors. If you would like to mentor an early investigator or a medical student mentee group, please email Jenn Dawson.
How it works
PeDRA’s mentorship program is a 1-year with the option to renew for a second year, 1:1 program. Mentees and mentors are carefully matched based on a compatibility survey submitted by both mentor and mentee applicants. Mentors and mentees communicate as frequently as desired by email, phone, or in-person, with a minimum of 3-required meetings per year by phone or in-person. PeDRA staff provide support for the program, while the Early Investigator Committee provides resources for both mentors and mentees via the PeDRA website and quarterly mentorship e-newsletters.
Program Objectives
- Cultivate relationships between members of the pediatric dermatology research community across all career stages.
- Promote career development within the field of pediatric dermatology research.
- Equip burgeoning clinician scientists with the practical, personal, and scientific skills necessary to conduct successful research in pediatric dermatology.
Mentee Eligibility
- Must be an Active or Trainee PeDRA Member in good standing.
- Must be less than 15 years out of training, this includes: trainees – medical students, residents, and fellows.
Mentor Eligibility
- Must be an active PeDRA member in good standing.
- Early investigators (less than 7 years out of training) will serve as mentors to trainees.
- Mid-career investigators (more than 7 years out of training) will serve as mentors to Early Investigators.
- Senior career investigators (more than 15 years out of training) will serve as mentors to Mid-Career Investigators.
Mentorship Resources
Testimonials
Throughout my recent submission of an NIH R21, I was able to bounce ideas off Dr. Paller and get valuable feedback on everything from how to write the grant, to content, to appropriate budgeting. Dr. Paller even agreed to serve as a consultant on my grant!

Jeff Yu, MD
2019-2021 MenteeWhat a pleasure to have regular meetings with Jeff and talk research and careers. He’s well on his way to success as a physician-scientist and I am sure that I learned so much more from him than he did from me.

Amy Paller, MD
2019-2021 MentorIn this brief testimonial, Dr. Colleen Cotton shares her experiences with the PeDRA Mentorship Program. She discusses the way mentors over the years have helped shape her career and achieve important goals. Watch below.

Colleen Cotton, MD
2019-2021 MenteeIf you are interested in joining the mentee waitlist, please email Jenn Dawson.