Graduate Certificate in Clinical Investigation Sciences V2012.04.06-1

Certificate in Clinical Investigation Sciences

Certificate in Clinical Investigation Sciences

Program Director:Susan Muldoon, Ph.D., MPH

Program Coordinator:Tammi Alvey Thomas

Website:http://louisville.edu/sphis/academics/certificate-in-clinical-investigation-sciences.html

Introduction

The Certificate in Clinical Investigation Sciences is offered in the School’s Clinical Research, Epidemiology and Statistics Training (CREST) Program.

The Certificate in Clinical Investigation Sciences provides individuals with skills required for a career in a clinical research setting. The CREST curriculum integrates biostatistical and epidemiologic methods in a problem-based learning format with additional instruction in health services and outcomes research and social and behavioral science.

Competencies

The successful student is able to:

• Access and critique the scientific literature.
• Address and discuss methods and issues of clinical epidemiology.
• Identify important clinical research questions and state as testable hypotheses.
• Apply the principles of data collection, monitoring, management and analysis within the context of a multidisciplinary team.
• Analyze human subject issues and apply ethical principles in performing and disseminating clinical research.

It is expected that prior to graduation, students in the program have demonstrated these competencies by completing the curriculum, participating in a collaborative research project, and successfully writing the professional paper.

Admission

Applicants should have a minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and, in most cases, should have completed a professional doctoral degree (e.g., DMD, DO, MD) or academic degree from an accredited institution or its equivalent. Other applicants with research experience may be considered (e.g., research coordinator).

Application requirements are submitted to the Graduate School Office of Admissions and include:

• Formal application
• Curriculum vitae
• Personal statement, a one-page essay that discusses the student’s background and his or her long-term goals in clinical research
• Application fee
• A minimum of two letters of recommendation
• official transcripts of all college work
• official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test (if applicant does not have a doctoral degree)

For specific information about the degree program or the application process, students should contact Dr. Susan Muldoon, CREST Program Director, 502-852-8087.

Curriculum

The typical progression through the Certificate curriculum is:

• Program of Study (Year 1)
• Complete research paper (Summer, Year 1)

Advisor/Program of Study

Upon matriculation in the program, each student will meet with the CREST Program Coordinator and develop a program of study based on the selection of the Certificate program curriculum. The program of study may be modified as the student’s needs change or course availability is altered.

Certificate Requirements

Coursework

17 total credit hours of required coursework

3 credit hours of epidemiology coursework

6 credit hours of coursework in research design and statistics

4 credit hours of coursework in outcomes and ethics

1 credit hours of mentored research

3 credit hours of electives

PHCI-699 Mentored Research

Each student in the Certificate Program is required to prepare a research paper as part of the mentored research course. The research paper can be a literature review or a research project. Data collection is not required. The paper is to be submitted in completed form to the program coordinator at least two weeks before the end of the semester in which the candidate expects to graduate.

Elective

The choice of the elective course in Spring I must be approved by the program director.

v2013.05.20-1

• Credit hours increased to 17
• Coursework revised

• Replaced elective option with single, 3-credit hr elective
• Removed PHCI-629 Special Topics Epi Methods
• Moved PHCI-601 Evaluating Health Care Literature to Spring I
• Results in no courses in summers

• Moved PHCI-624 to Fall I
• Moved elective to Spring I
• Replaced PHEP-602 with 2nd biostatistics course PHST-XXX

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