Programs prepare trainees for patient-oriented research

Two recently initiated School of Medicine programs will grant degrees and certificates this year to their first classes. The Mentored Training Program in Clinical Investigation (MTPCI) and the Predoctoral Interdisciplinary Clinical Research Training Program (PICRT) are preparing the next generation of clinical researchers.

In addition to specialized medical knowledge, running clinical research trials requires physicians and scientists to understand study design, statistical analysis, data management, and ethical and legal issues. Both programs, within the Division of Clinical Sciences, part of the BioMed 21 initiative, provide students with this essential framework of knowledge.

MTPCI, directed by Bradley Evanoff, M.D., chief of the Division of General Medical Sciences, offers master’s degrees and certificates to junior faculty, fellows and postdoctoral students.

PICRT, directed by Jay Piccirillo, M.D., director of the Clinical Outcomes Research Office and professor of otolaryngology, trains students enrolled in doctoral degree programs in several allied healthcare fields offering a short-term and an intensive research core.

“We’re very excited to be graduating our first group of scholars,” Evanoff said. “This training will help them develop successful careers as clinical researchers.”

MTPCI will grant three master’s degrees and five certificates, and PICRT will grant three certificates for the intensive program.