Graduate Program added online 2/4/09. Ph.D. in Clinical Investigation approved effective fall 2009. Online update: 6/1/2009 |
College:Administered through the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR)
Designation: Interdisciplinary program of the Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Nursing, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine and the College of Engineering
Major: Clinical Investigation
Degree: MS, PhD
Other: Ph.D. minor
Faculty: Please contact the program office.
The new Graduate Program in Clinical Investigation (GPCI) is housed in the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. The GPCI, which includes a MS, PhD and a PhD Minor has been in development for several years and is a direct response to the broadly-recognized need, most notably by the National Institutes of Health in 1998, to stimulate more clinical research and develop and promote clinical research training programs. The 2007 funding of UW ICTR through the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) facilitated UW-Madison’s ability to offer a complete spectrum of graduate programs in clinical research.
The GPCI is a complement to the areas of clinical research training emphasized by the graduate program in Population Health. The focus of the GPCI is to provide physicians, clinical scientists and other health care professionals the knowledge and skills needed to conduct and translate basic science discoveries into clinical applications through patient (human or animal)-oriented research – or what is commonly known as "from bench to bedside." Patient-oriented research includes the study of disease, therapeutic interventions, development of new technologies, and clinical trials. The graduate program in Population Health focuses on epidemiological or health services research which moves research from clinical trials to clinical practice and community settings.
ICTR is the administrative home for the degree program, but has joined together with its academic partners to develop and offer the GPCI. Representatives from the Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Nursing, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine and the College of Engineering came together as a task force in 2006 to design the program. All partner schools are represented in the curriculum and are joined by the Marshfield Clinic on the Faculty Governance Committee overseeing the GPCI.
The curriculum draws from existing courses in the various partner schools, but will also include new courses developed exclusively for the GPCI. Together, the coursework will provide a solid foundation in research methods and analysis, including biostatistics, study design, and ethical conduct. Through electives and a research requirement students will pursue their own area of specialization in patient-oriented clinical research.
The new program will welcome as students individuals pursuing a research career in academia, industry, at research institutes, or with health or regulatory agencies. Applicants must have a health professional degree (MD, DVM, PharmD, PhD, BSN, etc.) With active clinicians expected as students in the program, both full- and part-time enrollment will be available with the goal to offer courses at times and via technology to accommodate the schedules of busy professionals.
(online update made 3/24/09)
The graduate program in Clinical Investigation accepts applications
for the fall semester only, beginning with the fall of 2009. Some exceptions are made for spring admissions; please contact the program office to discuss this option. The deadline for fall applications in 2009 is June 1. The deadline for 2010 it will be March 1.
The GRE is required for applicants who do not have a graduate degree or a health professional degree from a US institution or are not currently enrolled in a graduate or professional medical degree program in a US institution. (Health professional degrees are considered to be: MD, DO, DDS, PharmD, DVM, PhD) (updated online 3/24/09)
Research interest in patient-oriented clinical research.
Students are assigned to a temporary course advisor appropriate to their background and interests. Students must identify a permanent advisor within the first semester of enrollment.
1. Family Medicine ###: Perspectives in Multidisciplinary Clinical and Translational Research (3 credits, Fall).
2. Population Health Sciences 797: Introduction to Epidemiology (3 credits, Fall).
3. One lecture course in ethical conduct of research selected from the following list of courses or an equivalent course that meets the approval of the graduate program (1-2 credits).
Vet Med/Surgical Science 812: Research Ethics and Career Development (2 credits, Fall).
Med Hist 545: Ethical and Regulatory Issues in Clinical Investigation (1 credit, Fall).
Nursing 802: Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research (1 credit, Spring).
4. A graduate entry level biostatistics course (3 credits). Possible course selections include BMI 541, Introduction to Biostatistics or Stat 571, Statistical Methods for Bioscience, or equivalent course.
5.An intermediate statistics course (3 credits). Course selection must meet the approval of the graduate program and be applicable to the students’ area of research.
6. Biostatistics and Medical Informatics 542: Introduction to Clinical Trials I (3 credits, Spring). Course emphasis is on clinical trials study designs.
7. Biostatistics and Medical Informatics 544: Introduction to Clinical Trials II (3 credits, Fall). Course emphasis is on clinical trial implementation and management, regulatory requirements, and data collection and management strategies.
8. Nursing 705: Seminar in Interdisciplinary Clinical Research Evidence (2-3 credits, Summer).
9.Engineering ###: Multidisciplinary, Patient-Oriented Research Seminar (1-2 credits, two consecutive semesters required) The seminar will not only cover research reports, but will contain sessions that provide students information about career development (e.g. teaching or negotiating collaborations and academic appointments).
Research Requirement: Medicine 990 (6 credits)
The M.S. Degree requires students to formulate a research question, investigate a problem/issue, report the results and discuss the findings and implications of the study. M.S. degree candidates are expected to complete a research project and prepare a manuscript that is ready for submission to a peer-reviewed professional journal, culminating in an oral defense of a Master’s Thesis.
Students will work with their major advisor to determine appropriate electives. Electives may be distributed in order for the student to acquire specialized knowledge and skills or they may be focused in order to receive specific training in an area of expertise, such as genetics, biomedical engineering or ethics. Electives should be taken to advance the student’s understanding of a specific methodology, statistical design, academic writing, or area of expertise.
For more information: Please visit the program website at: http://www.uwictr.wisc.edu/node/26 or contact the Program Coordinator, Debora Treu, at Dltreu@wisc.edu or 608.262.3768.