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The Clinical Center recently announced a collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, designed to broaden clinical research training opportunities. The program will lead to a Certificate in Clinical Research or a Master of Science in Clinical Research from the University of Pittsburgh. Aimed at reaching practitioners beyond doctors and researchers, this program will include members of allied health professions.
“As with all of our research training programs, we are excited about the possibilities of this latest endeavor,” said Dr. John Gallin, Clinical Center director. “Since clinical research can be beneficial and successful only when individuals have the necessary training and expertise to conduct it, we see this program, as well as a host of others, as a major step in providing the tools that people need.”
Similar to the NIH-Duke Masters Program in Clinical Research that was initiated in 1998, this program will help to fill the void in the community of formally trained clinical researchers, in an interactive, state-of-the-art way.
Unlike the Duke program, the new collaboration will be open to a wider audience, including PhD’s and doctorally-prepared pharmacists and nurses. Physicians and dentists are also eligible for matriculation in the program.
The training consists of a core curriculum, which is taught over an intensive eight-week summer session at the University of Pittsburgh, followed by a nine-month methodology seminar, held via videoconferencing at the Clinical Center.
The core courses are designed to teach trainees the basic elements that all clinical investigators should know, including courses on clinical research methods, biostatistics, introduction to clinical trials, and measurement in clinical research.
Trainees will then choose from four specialty concentration areas, including: effectiveness and outcomes, clinical therapeutics, health and behavior, and epidemiology. Participants have the option of receiving a Certificate in Clinical Research (15 credits) or a Master of Science in Clinical Research (30 credits) from the University of Pittsburgh.
The program will begin in July. Tuition for the 2001-2002 academic year is $480 per credit. The cost for room accommodations for the intensive eight-week summer session in Pittsburgh is $800.
Prospective participants should consult with their institute or center regarding the official training nomination procedure. For more information, visit the University of Pittsburgh website at www.pitt.edu/~crtp/ or send an e- mail to crtp@imap.pitt.edu.
—by LaTonya Kit