The Academic Program
Consistent with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) emphasis on the reduction and elimination of health disparities, we have established a curriculum to support a concentration in Clinical Research under the umbrella of the Master of Science in Biomedical Science at UH's John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM).
1 R25 RR019321, “Clinical Research Education and Career Development (CRECD) in Minority Institutions.”
The curriculum will provide high quality training for doctoral and postdoctoral candidates in order to increase the critical mass of clinical researchers, including minority investigators, at UH. In addition to offering knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers in clinical research, the MS in biomedical science will function as a supportive mechanism for newly trained investigators, actively facilitating career development and encouraging research collaborations, particularly those related to health disparities research.
By participating in the curriculum, students will acquire skills in epidemiology and biostatistics and master the scientific principles that underlie clinical research methods. They will also develop the ability to identify and resolve ethical issues involved in clinical research, ensure the safeguarding of human subjects, and understand Institutional Review Boards and other relevant requirements. Finally, students will increase their capacity to seek and obtain NIH and other extramural funding for conducting clinical research.
The curriculum has been specifically designed to produce well-educated clinical researchers capable of implementing clinical research studies. The part-time curriculum can be completed in two years and is competency based. There are three aspects of the curriculum: didactic and problem-based modules, a mentored research project, and a seminar series. The program targets junior faculty, fellows, residents, and doctoral candidates from biomedical science, Nursing, Social Work, Psychology and Public Health. Gathering trainees from diverse disciplines into a small group learning experience will broaden trainees' perspectives as well as increase opportunities for innovative, cross-disciplinary collaborations in clinical research.
In addition to offering knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers in clinical research, the curriculum will function as a supportive mechanism for newly trained investigators, actively facilitating career development and encouraging research collaborations, particularly those related to health disparities research.
Application for Admission and Funding
Our goal is to enroll eight trainees the first year (six funded by the grant and a maximum of 10-12 full-time trainees in subsequent years. It is expected that the remainder of students will have other sources of funding i.e., career development funds, faculty tuition waivers, other grants). In addition, we anticipate that there will be many trainees who choose to enroll in selected courses in the curriculum without any requirement for funding.
For the first year, we will attempt to enroll a combination of junior MD faculty members from JABSOM (or any of the programs listed above), a PhD faculty member, and a medical student based on the priorities set for selection as well as a consideration of individual qualifications. The final selection of the first cohort will be made when the Admission Committee meets to review the formal applications to the Graduate Division.
It is important that all applicants state explicitly the specific expectations/request for funding and the percent effort that will be dedicated to the Master's program.