Post-doctoral Master of Science in Clinical Research

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of the proposed program is to implement a clinical research training program that leads to an accredited post-doctoral master of science (M.S.) degree in Clinical Research. The training requires a minimum commitment by prospective students of a least two years for didactic and clinical research training. The program will target junior faculty, fellows, residents and doctoral candidates of the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus (UPR-MSC) and the San Juan Veterans Administration Medical Center (SJVAMC). To increase the depth and breadth of the training opportunities for participating trainees and faculty, the UPR-MSC has also joined in partnership with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota as well as the Puerto Rico Department of Health. The proposed program is designed to meet the need for formal academic training in the methodological principles of clinical research including: patient-oriented research, epidemiologic and behavioral studies, outcome research, and health services research. Students who complete all the requirements will be awarded a post-doctoral M.S. degree in Clinical Research by the UPR School of Medicine and College of Health Related Professions. Graduates will be qualified to plan original clinical investigations with adequate sample size, sampling methods, well defined diagnostic criteria, and effective control of confounding variables. Successful completion will result in an improved level of competency in the preparation of competitive research applications and grant applications for funding, and effective presentation and communication of scientific knowledge and findings. Finally, graduates will have substantive knowledge and skills to design and implement research studies about major research questions or problems in one or more of six priority health areas (cancer, HIV, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases and oral health) and will be adept with medical and epidemiological tools for studying these problems. The program objectives are: 1) to implement a postdoctoral M.S. in Clinical Research program; 2) to develop infrastructure that will support and sustain the program beyond the five-year grant period; and 3) to develop and implement a program evaluation plan that systematically and comprehensively monitors and provides information to enable continuous quality improvement, and determines the degree to which the program's implementation achieves its intended.