Fellows Program

Since 1989, this program has been an opportunity for graduates of some of the world's most highly regarded programs in areas such as medicine, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology, physiology, and genetics, to move their careers into drug development. The Cato Research Fellows Program provides rigorous, comprehensive training in all areas of clinical research and drug development.

During the program, Fellows participate in course work, interactive learning, on-the-job training, and discussion in such diverse areas as regulatory and medical writing, clinical trial monitoring, and drug development strategies. At the start of the program, Fellows are assigned a mentor who provides guidance, insight, coaching, and support. Cato Research scientists and industry experts also guide and interact with the Fellows throughout the 12-month training.

The program coursework consists of formal classes and seminars. Training classes are held each week in which our seasoned scientists and other industry guests present on their areas of expertise. Fellows also take advantage of all in-house training to supplement their experiences, such as Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Trial Monitoring, and Strategies in Drug Development. Additionally, Fellows receive training in project management and are encouraged to take on leadership roles as their skills dictate.

Fellows also receive extensive on-the-job training. Fellows are strategically assigned to projects from early drug discovery to Phase 3 or Phase 4 clinical trials in order to maximize their exposure to clinical research and drug development. The project work may entail many different activities including: drug development plans, protocol design, regulatory strategy development, FDA-meeting preparation, project plan development, and clinical trial management.

At the end of the 12-month Fellows Program, an evaluation takes place to determine the level of performance and to gauge the Fellow's interest in receiving an offer at the Scientist I level. The main career paths for the Fellows Program graduates are Integrated Drug Development or Regulatory Strategy, although Nonclinical Safety Development and Pharmaceutical Development are also options. Each of the career paths expands upon the basic drug development knowledge gained as a Fellow.

Chrissy Williams, Ph.D., biological psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who began her career at Cato Research in the Fellows Program, said this about the program: "The Fellows Program at CATO offers a unique opportunity to any scientist wondering whether an alternative career in science is right for them. Being a Fellow at CATO has enabled me to continue doing the things I enjoyed the most about graduate school - primarily analytical thinking and authorship of documents that bring data together to tell a story. Although the focus of these activities has changed, the fundamentals remain the same. When I was working as a graduate student, my analytical thinking focused on the development of experiments and techniques to answer questions and solve problems. In contrast, my analytical thinking at CATO focuses on the development of novel therapeutics and the most efficient regulatory strategy to bring the drug to market. Similarly, my writing now focuses on documents that bring together the results of clinical trials instead of the results of experiments. One of the most surprising and enjoyable aspects of my fellowship and time at CATO has been the opportunity to develop skills in new areas that I never realized I would enjoy, particularly project management and teamwork."

Fellows are full time CATO employees, and are eligible for all benefits available at CATO. This includes a competitive salary package, and generous medical benefits. To view open Fellows positions, please visit the Careers page.