Course Listings
INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL EDUCATION (ICRE) COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
- Clinical Research (CLRES)
- Medical Education (MEDEDU)
- Descriptions of Courses Offered Through Other University Departments
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ICRE COURSE CALENDARS AND COURSE AVAILABILITY
Clinical Research |
Medical Education |
Course Schedule |
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DISABILITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES
The ICRE supports and follows the diversity policies of the Office of Diversity, Health Sciences. Students needing support and/or accommodation may request it through the University’s Office of Disability Resources and Services.
If you have a disability that requires special testing accommodations or other classroom modifications, you need to notify both the instructor and Disability Resources and Services no later than the second week of the term. You may be asked to provide documentation of your disability to determine the appropriateness of accommodations. To notify Disability Resources and Services, call 412-648-7890 (Voice or TTD) to schedule an appointment. The office is located in 216 William Pitt Union.
CLINICAL RESEARCH
| CLRES 2005: Computer Methods in Clinical Research |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer and Spring |
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The course provides instruction on the use of computerized methods for clinical research. Dataset manipulation, descriptive statistics, and the graphical presentation of data will be presented using a standard statistical package.
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Click | CLRES 2010: Clinical Research Methods |
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| 3.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer and Spring |
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This course covers fundamental concepts and basic analytic methods pertaining to the design, analysis, and interpretation of clinical research studies. The course is broadly divided into three major analytic areas: (1) basic epidemiology and observational methods, (2) interventional and randomized controlled trials, and (3) clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine. Each section of the course will last 7–9 sessions and culminate in a short examination. The first section of the course will cover concepts of association and outcome, introduce standard epidemiologic concepts of incidence and prevalence, and define and describe relative risk, absolute risk, attributable risk, and the various methods for calculating these quantities in different observational research designs. Definitions of and methods for reducing bias and confounding are major components of this section. The second section introduces interventional trials, including the four phases of drug trials, the importance and effects of randomization, and the analysis and interpretation of controlled trials. Methods for comparing results across trials, as well as an introduction to nonstandard trial designs, are provided. The final section of the course introduces the concepts of clinical epidemiology, including evidence-based medicine, the interpretation of diagnostic tests, the construction and use of clinical prediction rules, and the evaluation of screening for chronic disease.
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| CLRES 2020: Biostatistics |
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| 4.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer and Spring |
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This course focuses on basic concepts and statistical methods and their application to problems in the health and biomedical sciences. Topics include data description and summarization, basic probability theory, estimation, and hypothesis testing with emphasis on one- and two-sample comparisons involving continuous and categorical data. Linear regression and analysis of variance will be introduced. Trainees will develop their analytic skills through the analysis and discussion of large clinical studies. (Prerequisite: CLRES 2005)
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| CLRES 2021: Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Regression |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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The course is designed for medical researchers who are not biostatistics majors. Topics covered include multiple linear regression, regression diagnostics, ANOVA, analysis of covariance, confounding, mediation, moderation, and model selection. At the completion of the course, trainees should be able to understand the appropriate uses of ANOVA and linear regression, to assess their appropriateness and adequacy, to analyze simple datasets taken from the fields of medicine and public health, and to summarize results from regression models via written communication. (Prerequisites: CLRES 2005 and CLRES 2020)
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| CLRES 2022: Logistic Regression |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This introductory course in logistic regression modeling is intended for physicians in fellowship training programs and other researchers with a limited background in statistics. The course focuses on regression methods for binary data and on the basics of maximum likelihood inference. At the completion of the course, trainees should be able to understand how logistic regression can be used to address a variety of epidemiologic and clinical questions; to interpret models and assess their appropriateness and adequacy; to develop analytic skills through the analysis of datasets taken from the fields of medicine and public health; and to develop oral and written communication skills through the description of analytic strategies and the summarization and interpretation of results. (Prerequisites: CLRES 2005, CLRES 2020, and CLRES 2021)
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| CLRES 2023: Survival Analysis |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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This is an introductory course in regression modeling of time-to-event data. It is intended for physicians in fellowship training programs and other researchers with a limited background in statistics. The course focuses on descriptive methods for survival data, survival analysis, and issues pertaining to time-dependent covariates. At the completion of the course, trainees should be able to recognize when it is necessary to account for time in the analysis of yes/no outcomes and appropriately summarize time-to-event data; be able to interpret the survival analysis model and assess the appropriateness and adequacy of the model; be familiar with issues in the design, analysis, and interpretation of studies involving time-dependent covariates; be able to apply analytic skills to the analysis of datasets taken from the fields of medicine and public health; and be able to develop oral and written communication skills through the description of analytic strategies and the summarization and interpretation of results. (Prerequisites: CLRES 2005, CLRES 2020, CLRES 2021, and CLRES 2022)
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| Prerequisites: CLRES 2021; CLRES 2022 |
| CLRES 2025: Design and Analysis of Biomarker Studies |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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The objectives of this course are to identify, describe, and apply the statistical and epidemiologic knowledge, tools, and perspectives necessary for effectively designing, analyzing, and interpreting biomarker studies. Only a brief introduction will be provided on clinical and laboratory aspects of biomarker development; instead, the course will focus on the study design and associated analysis issues given a particular biomarker or panel of biomarkers and a corresponding set of clinical outcomes. Although practical applications and general perspectives will primarily focus on cancer research, the described methods are broadly applicable to a range of clinical and epidemiologic settings. Articles will serve as references for this class. (Prerequisites: CLRES 2010, CLRES 2021, and CLRES 2022; or instructor permission)
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| CLRES 2026: Analysis of Correlated Data |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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CLRES 2026 will provide information on statistical methods for analyzing data arising from multilevel or longitudinal studies. The first half of the course lectures will focus on models for continuous data, including mixed effects models, fixed effects models, and generalized estimating equations. The second half of lectures will extend to analysis in the generalized linear model setting (binary outcomes, count data, etc.) We will show students how to investigate data graphically and descriptively before beginning statistical modeling and will introduce students to topics on missing data, group trajectory modeling, and sample size estimation. We will use homework assignments and articles from multilevel and longitudinal studies to facilitate learning of concepts discussed in class. (Prerequisites: CLRES 2020, CLRES 2021, and CLRES 2022)
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| CLRES 2040: Measurement in Clinical Research |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer and Spring |
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The course focuses on properties of good measurement that are integral to the research process. Specific objectives are to analyze methods for testing psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of psychological instruments and physiological instruments; to evaluate the adequacy of selected scaling methodologies used in research; to apply knowledge of instrumentation to the description of a psychosocial instrument and a physiological instrument for a research proposal; and to synthesize course content with statistical criteria for scale evaluation and make decisions regarding scale revision. The domain sampling model is presented as the major theory of measurement error, with the parallel test model presented as a special case of the domain sampling model. The construct, criterion, and content validity of psychosocial instruments are explored, and methods for evaluating each of these relative to specific instruments are presented. A variety of scaling methodologies, as well as the principles involved in the design and formatting of questionnaires, will be discussed.
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| CLRES 2050: Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research - LIVE |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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CLRES 2050 Live aims to enhance students’ ability to think about the ethical dimensions of research, especially research involving human subjects, and to participate thoughtfully and knowledgeably in the ethical design and review of research protocols. By the end of the course, students should be able to: (1) Describe the historical context for today’s heightened scrutiny of clinical research, (2) Identify and explain the basic concepts, values, and potential ethical conflicts associated with the conduct of human subjects research, (3) Define the elements of scientific misconduct, (4) Demonstrate a commitment to integrity in the conduct of scientific research, (5) Demonstrate a commitment to advocate for the rights and welfare of human research subjects, (6) Analyze a research protocol from the ethical point of view according to criteria developed by federal regulatory agencies and local Institutional Review Boards, (7) Explain a scientific research protocol in language that promotes laypeople’s understanding sufficient to provide meaningful informed consent and (8) Demonstrate communication skills adequate to obtain a potential research subject’s meaningful informed consent. (This Learning Objective applies only to students enrolled in the ICRE Grant Writing Course.)
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| CLRES 2050: Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research - ONLINE |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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CLRES 2050 Live aims to enhance students’ ability to think about the ethical dimensions of research, especially research involving human subjects, and to participate thoughtfully and knowledgeably in the ethical design and review of research protocols. By the end of the course, students should be able to: (1) Describe the historical context for today’s heightened scrutiny of clinical research, (2) Identify and explain the basic concepts, values, and potential ethical conflicts associated with the conduct of human subjects research, (3) Define the elements of scientific misconduct, (4) Demonstrate a commitment to integrity in the conduct of scientific research, (5) Demonstrate a commitment to advocate for the rights and welfare of human research subjects, (6) Analyze a research protocol from the ethical point of view according to criteria developed by federal regulatory agencies and local Institutional Review Boards, (7) Explain a scientific research protocol in language that promotes laypeople’s understanding sufficient to provide meaningful informed consent and (8) Demonstrate communication skills adequate to obtain a potential research subject’s meaningful informed consent. (This Learning Objective applies only to students enrolled in the ICRE Grant Writing Course.)
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| CLRES 2071: Research Design and Development Part I |
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| 3.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall |
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The purpose of the integrated methods course is to build on the skills learned in the intensive summer session and provide a hands-on research experience. Trainees will learn the phases of the research process from conception to design and, ultimately, to implementation of the research. Through a combination of group sessions and independent work, trainees will use a research topic of their choice to develop their own research proposal in the form of an NIH grant application. The application will include sections on specific aims, background and significance, previous work, and methods. In addition, trainees will review and critique the work of their peers. (Prerequisites: CLRES 2005, CLRES 2010, CLRES 2020, and CLRES 2040. Mentor must be identified prior to class.)
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| CLRES 2072: Research Design and Development Part II |
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| 2.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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The purpose of the integrated methods course is to build on the skills learned in the intensive summer session and provide a hands-on research experience. Trainees will learn the phases of the research process from conception to design and, ultimately, to implementation of the research. Through a combination of group sessions and independent work, trainees will use a research topic of their choice to develop their own research proposal in the form of an NIH grant application. The application will include sections on specific aims, background and significance, previous work, and methods. In addition, trainees will review and critique the work of their peers. (Prerequisites: CLRES 2005, CLRES 2010, CLRES 2020, CLRES 2040, and CLRES 2071. Mentor must be identified prior to class. CLRES 2050 is taken simultaneously.)
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| CLRES 2073: Introduction to Clinical and Translational Research Seminar |
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| 0.5 credit(s) |
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The Introduction to Clinical and Transnational research Seminar (CLRES 2073) is a mandatory monthly seminar series for first-year students in the Clinical Scientist Training Program and the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship. The objective of the seminar is to introduce students to some fundamental concepts, such as how to establish and nurture the mentor-mentee relationship, to responsibly search the medical literature, to recognize and comply with regulations governing the conduct of human subjects research, to navigate the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board (IRB), and to appreciate the broad scope of clinical research and clinical research careers. The Seminar is not intended to provide formal didactic instruction in clinical research methods; these objectives will be met through the clinical research coursework you will complete toward a certificate or Master of Science in clinical research.
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| CLRES 2075: Seminar For Understanding Principles and Practices of Research Techniques (SUPPORT) |
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| 0.5 credit(s) |
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The SUPPORT Seminar is a mandatory thrice-monthly series for first-, second- and research-year students in the Clinical Scientist Training Program and research year students in the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship (fifth-year students present a mock thesis defense during the spring semester, but do not enroll in the course). The objectives of the seminar are: 1) to provide a supportive setting for presentation of mentored research projects in progress, 2) to provide the opportunity for students to practice their public speaking skills, 3) to allow students to receive constructive feedback on research design, analysis, and presentation, including formal peer and faculty assessment of abstracts, posters, manuscripts, and oral presentations, 4) to teach the fundamentals of constructive feedback, 5) to provide the opportunity to share their work with colleagues, and 6) to create opportunities for peer networking and peer mentoring.
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| CLRES 2085: Directed Research/Independent Study in Clinical Research |
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| 1.0-3.0 credit(s) |
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For Master of Science and Doctoral Certificate in Clinical and Translational Science students. An independent study project is designed by the student to pursue an area of study within clinical research that is not covered by the established curriculum. It cannot be used to replace required or core courses. The project is designed by the student and requires that an Institute for Clinical Research Education (ICRE) faculty member supervise the project. The student will complete the directed research independent study form, and the faculty preceptor and Director of Academic Programs must approve it. An independent study project may carry 1-3 graduate semester credits, assigned at the faculty member’s discretion based on the project proposed. Doctoral CTS students may only register for a maximum of 2 credits.
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| CLRES 2095: Introduction to Pharmacoepidemiology |
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| 2.0 credit(s) |
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This course is an introduction to the field of pharmacoepidemiology which uses epidemiologic methods to examine the benefits or risk of medications in the population. In addition to lectures, students will be given the opportunity to examine and critique the literature in this area. Prerequisites: Introductory epidemiology, literature evaluation/statistics or clinical research methods course or with course director approval.
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| CLRES 2120: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Health Care |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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CLRES 2120 provides an introduction to the methods used in the economic analysis of health care programs. The course will discuss economic principles that serve as the foundation of cost-effectiveness analysis, will describe the various ratios and methodologies used in cost-effectiveness studies, will highlight the current controversies in cost-benefit analysis, and will explore issues regarding the appropriate use of cost-effectiveness in making medical decisions concerning patients and populations. Additional topics include concepts of perspective, utility analysis, discounting, and the definition of various costs and benefits.
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| CLRES 2121: Clinical Decision Analysis |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This course presents an overview of the theory of medical decision making. Topics include the incorporation of uncertainty and risk into medical decision making; the use of decision-making techniques in both population and individual patient settings; the design, structure, and evaluation of decision trees generated by software packages; sensitivity analysis and the stability of model outputs; and controversies concerning the perspective of the analysis and the discounting of costs and benefits. The course will help trainees become skilled in structuring and analyzing decision-making problems.
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| CLRES 2122: Advanced Methods in Decision and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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CLRES 2122 expands on topics introduced in CLRES 2120 (Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Health Care) and CLRES 2121 (Clinical Decision Analysis) and provides additional guidelines for using decision sciences in larger, more complex applications. Topics include modeling clinical processes and systems; discrete event simulation; advanced sensitivity analysis and confidence limits; controversies surrounding the use of cost-effectiveness analyses; and multiattribute utility theory. (Prerequisites: CLRES 2120 and CLRES 2121)
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| CLRES 2130: Health Services Research Using Secondary Data: Didactic Course |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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Health services researchers and epidemiologists rely on many publicly and privately available secondary databases, ranging from databases that are collected primarily for research and surveillance (e.g., the National Health Interview Survey) to databases that are collected for administrative or billing purposes but that have research utility (e.g., Medicare claims). CLRES 2130 provides an introduction to many of the large databases that are frequently used by health services researchers.
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| CLRES 2131: Health Services Research Using Secondary Data: Project Course |
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| 3.0 credit(s) |
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CLRES 2131 provides trainees with an opportunity to complete a mentored research project using a large secondary database. Over a 9-month period, trainees will revise their research projects from CLRES 2130; acquire necessary data files to conduct their study; perform essential data cleaning, manipulation, and analyses; and develop an abstract for submission to a professional meeting. (Prerequisite: CLRES 2130)
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| CLRES 2140: Best Practices in Clinical Research |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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CLRES 2140 covers the basic operations of conducting a health services research project, from developing realistic timelines and schedules to building tracking databases, training interviewers and data collectors, monitoring data collection and budgets, reporting, and closing out a study.
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| CLRES 2170: Making the Most of Mentoring |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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We strongly believe that effective mentoring is the cornerstone of a successful academic career—whether it be in education, research, or clinical work. Good mentors are able to guide mentees as they attempt to navigate through the course of their careers. This course is designed to provide a basis for understanding the mentor-mentee relationship and to provide strategies for making the most out of the experience. Topics will include communication and negotiation, the use of mentoring contracts, providing and accepting feedback, evaluating the mentoring relationship, and solving problems and meeting challenges. Fellows, postdocs, other Institute for Clinical Research Education (ICRE) trainees, and junior faculty will discover useful ways to enhance the mentoring relationship and make it a rewarding experience both for the mentees and the mentors.
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| CLRES 2200: Introduction to Research on Disparities in Health Care |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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The objective of this course is to provide health professional trainees with knowledge and skills to understand and apply the basic principles of healthcare disparities research. Students will be introduced to a variety of healthcare disparities that have been identified in the literature. They will learn about a 3-phase conceptual framework for advancing disparities research that involves detecting (Phase 1), understanding (Phase 2), and reducing/eliminating (Phase 3) disparities. They will become familiar with methodological and conceptual issues that pertain to research designed to detect healthcare disparities, understand multi-level factors that contribute to disparities, and reduce or eliminate healthcare disparities. Students will use their knowledge and skills from the course to develop and present a research proposal focused on a healthcare disparities topic of their choice. The course will consist of didactic lectures, interactive discussions, and homework assignments to establish basic knowledge of research on disparities in health care. It will also include guest presentations by faculty with experience conducting research focused on disparities in health care. These guest presentations will provide students with concrete examples of research focusing on a broad range of healthcare disparities. The course will meet once a week for eight weeks.
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| CLRES 2300: Introduction to Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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The course is an overview of the concepts necessary for performing systematic reviews and meta-analyses, covered in sufficient detail to enable students to conduct their own reviews and analyses after completion of the course. Students will learn about the individual steps involved in conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, including developing a focused research question, assembling a team to perform the study, designing a study protocol, defining inclusion and exclusion criteria, identifying relevant literature databases (including Cochrane databases and Medline), developing literature search strategies, performing the literature search, creating a data abstraction form, handling data abstraction and management, and using statistical methods for meta-analysis. We will discuss important topics such as criteria for meta-analysis, exploration of heterogeneity, choice of a meta-analytic method, study quality assessment, sensitivity and subgroup analysis, evaluation of potential sources of bias, presentation of results, and application of review results. Each class will have both a didactic component and a hands-on component that allows students to immediately apply the concepts introduced during the session. Students will use concepts learned in this course to evaluate and update a published systematic review and meta-analysis.
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| CLRES 2310: Conducting a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: A Project Course |
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| 2.0 credit(s) |
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Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are considered by many investigators to be the highest level of evidence for answering clinical questions. Well-conducted, methodologically rigorous systematic reviews can resolve uncertainties about therapeutic or diagnostic interventions and can be helpful for the practicing physician. Despite this, researchers, intimidated by the numerous steps and the complex statistics involved in conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis, may be reluctant to undertake this type of study. In this course, we aim to help investigators perform a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis by providing (1) assistance in the formulation of the research protocol; (2) access to research librarians and other resources essential for conducting a comprehensive literature search; (3) collaboration with statisticians experienced in meta-analysis; (4) assistance in interpretation of results and manuscript development; and (5) mentoring from a team of physicians and research scientists experienced in systematic review and meta-analysis. Participants in this course will perform a systematic review and meta-analysis in their area of interest, with the goal of publishing a manuscript in a timely fashion. (Prerequisite: CLRES 2300)
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| CLRES 2400: Qualitative Research Methods |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered during the Spring in even years |
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The course will introduce participants to the characteristics and various approaches to designing and conducting qualitative research projects in health and health services research. Each student will gain hands-on experience in various qualitative methods and analysis techniques while carrying out a research project related to his or her area of interest. Topics covered will include study design; data collection, with an emphasis on focus group and in-depth interviewing methods; qualitative data analysis theory, techniques, and tools; and the presentation and dissemination of qualitative research results. Course assignments will include designing an interview or focus group question protocol relevant to the student's own research interests, conducting an in-depth interview, and performing preliminary data analysis on the interview text. The final project will be tailored to meet the current research development needs of each individual student and may involve writing a focused literature review, drafting a qualitative research proposal, or writing up the results of a qualitative research project for publication.
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| CLRES 2500: Introduction to Patient-Oriented Research in Aging |
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| 3.0 credit(s) |
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CLRES 2500 provides an overview of conceptual and pragmatic issues in the design and implementation of patient-oriented research involving older adults. A brief summary of the current status of older adult health, disease, living situations, and health care in the United States will be followed by a systematic study of the effects of aging and chronic disease on research issues related to sampling, recruitment, consent, measurement, censoring, intervention, analysis, and research in special settings. Students are expected to demonstrate integration of information provided over the course of the semester by creating an original grant proposal for a research project involving aging adults. Alternatively, students who have previously completed a research proposal for another purpose can critique and revise their proposal based on the content of this course. Students who are in the Degree Granting Programs in Clinical Research and are working toward the master's degree may use their final grant proposal as the basis for the thesis or substantive research project required for completion of the optional content specialization in aging and chronic disease. (Prerequisite: CLRES 2010 or instructor permission)
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| CLRES 2510: Aging Research in Special Settings |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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Older adults are frequent users of special health and community settings, and they often have associated health and psychosocial characteristics that influence the design and implementation of research. This course addresses methods and challenges of aging research in special settings, such as long-term care, life care, senior housing, rehabilitation, day care, hospices, emergency rooms, hospitals, and intensive care units. Lectures and classroom discussions will be supplemented with readings focused on aging research performed in special settings. Real-world application of knowledge will be facilitated through visits to two different settings specific to older adults. Students will write a final paper integrating the information they learned during the course. (Prerequisite: CLRES 2500)
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| CLRES 2520: Special Issues in Clinical Trials in Older Populations |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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The course explores the special challenges inherent in the design, implementation, and evaluation of intervention studies in older adults, with common challenges including population heterogeneity, reduced tolerance to demand, family protectiveness, and competing events. Sessions will examine the theoretical and practical issues confronting investigators who must tailor the study population, setting, intervention, comparison arm, duration of follow-up, and outcome measures to achieve internally valid results while maintaining feasibility and generalizability. Students are expected to demonstrate integration of information provided during the course by critiquing a set of published clinical trials on an age-related topic of their choice. (Prerequisite: CLRES 2500)
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| CLRES 2530: New and Emerging Techniques in Research on Aging |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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Researchers will describe the novel and emerging techniques that they are currently using locally in research on aging. Students will explore opportunities to engage in "bedside to bench" research that can link clinical and technology-related research questions. Students will be provided with knowledge that will be useful both in analyzing age-related literature that involves these techniques and in identifying appropriate techniques to enhance their own studies in the future. (Prerequisite: CLRES 2500)
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| CLRES 2601: Principles and Practices in Palliative Care Part I |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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The broad objectives of this course are to provide trainees with an overview of the basic and clinical sciences underlying the professional care of dying patients and to introduce them to the primary reference sources in the field of palliative medicine. The course will be taught in small-group discussion format, with faculty drawn from content experts throughout the medical center. Discussions will combine analysis of the evidence base for a wide range of palliative care interventions with clinical case discussions. Cases will be drawn from the literature, faculty experiences, and current clinical activities of the trainees themselves.
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| CLRES 2602: Principles and Practices in Palliative Care Part II |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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The broad objectives of this course are to provide trainees with an overview of the basic and clinical sciences underlying the professional care of dying patients and to introduce them to the primary reference sources in the field of palliative medicine. The course will be taught in small-group discussion format, with faculty drawn from content experts throughout the medical center. Discussions will combine analysis of the evidence base for a wide range of palliative care interventions with clinical case discussions. Cases will be drawn from the literature, faculty experiences, and current clinical activities of the trainees themselves. (Prerequisite: CLRES 2601)
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| CLRES 2610: Research Methods in Palliative Care |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This special methods course will provide the critical bridge between the more general research skills, which are the focus of the Degree Granting Programs in Clinical Research, and the particular challenges of doing patient-oriented research in palliative care. This 1-credit course, along with Principles and Practices of Palliative Care, is the cornerstone of the optional content specialization in palliative care. It consists of discussions of the use of specific research methods and their strengths and limitations in palliative care, a review of landmark research articles in palliative care, and a critical appraisal of the methodologies. The course is taught in a graduate seminar fashion with an emphasis on discussion and critical analysis. Sessions are often moderated by a palliative care physician and a researcher with the particular methodologies expertise under discussion.
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| CLRES 2705: Bioinformatics Resources for Life Sciences Research |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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Over the past decade, the emergence and rapid advance of genomic and proteomic technologies have generated copious amounts of data and Web-based bioinformatics resources. Use of bioinformatics databases and software tools are the key for success in both basic science and translational research, as they guide researchers in formulating a new hypothesis, designing studies to test their hypothesis, and interpreting and validating their experimental results. This course will introduce students to real-life examples of the use of bioinformatics tools in research. It will teach efficient identification of appropriate bioinformatics databases and software adn the effective application of these resources to solve scientific questions. This course is offered in a computer classroom, thereby providing hands-on training for solving bioinformatics queries using Web-based tools. Homework will be assigned to reinforce the concepts presented during each class. A final project will promote integration of the bioinformatics resources introduced throughout the course.
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| CLRES 2707: Bioinformatics Resources: Data Mining |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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Over the past decade, the emergence and rapid advances in molecular technologies such as genome sequencing, microarray platforms, and high-through put methodologies have generated a copious amount of scientific data. In response to this data overload, bioinformatics software and databases utilizing computer science and statistical methods have rapidly evolved. Proficiency in the use of bioinformatics tools is the key for success in today’s molecular life sciences research as they guide students in formulating new hypotheses, designing studies to test these hypotheses, then analyzing, interpreting and validating experimental results. CLRES 2707 focuses on data mining. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have received adequate training to identify appropriate bioinformatics databases/software and efficiently apply these tools in solving real life research questions.
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| CLRES 2715: Understanding and Applying OMICS |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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This required course for the Translational Research Track will provide information on resources available at the University of Pittsburgh to facilitate high-throughput research techniques and will involve in-depth discussions of definitions and applications of genomics, proteomics, and glycomics. The course will cover issues important to tissue processing and sample collection, limitations of techniques, and special ethical issues related to storage of samples. Translational researchers will present "real-life" examples of application of these technologies, and students will be required to develop an "omics" approach to a relevant translational research question pertinent to their own field of study.
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| CLRES 2730: From Benchtop to Bedside: What Every Scientist Needs to Know |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This 10-week course is designed to teach research scientists how to navigate the path necessary to bring a basic science discovery out of the university and into the clinic. Participants will learn the criteria used by the private sector to assess whether discoveries have the potential for therapeutic or diagnostic applications. They will understand how proof-of-concept and validation experiments define the application, increase its value, and reduce its risk. The course will focus on the importance of intellectual property protection as the engine that creates a barrier to entry for competition and also enables investment from the private sector to fund the climb over regulatory and reimbursement hurdles to reach patients. This course is open to scientific researchers and others who are interested in gaining knowledge of the commercial development process. The core faculty for the course will include Office of Enterprise Development (OED) staff members and numerous guest speakers and panelists from the scientific and entrepreneurial community.
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| CLRES 2800: Fundamentals of Clinical Trials |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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CLRES 2800 will provide information on the first three phases (phases I, II, and III) of drug development and on fundamental components of randomized clinical trials. A majority of lectures will focus on aspects of phase III parallel group designs, with discussions on topics including the development of research questions, definition of endpoints, recruitment, randomization, blinding, data management and quality, monitoring, study closeout, and presentation and interpretation of results. The student will be introduced to good clinical practice guidelines, the principles of planning and implementing clinical research protocols, ethical issues and regulatory imperatives designed to protect human subjects in clinical research, adverse event reporting, protocol and proposal development, and publication. We will use manuscripts on clinical trials and protocols of completed studies to facilitate learning of concepts discussed in class. We highly recommend that students take analysis of variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression courses before taking this course. (Prerequisites: need CLRES 2005 and CLRES 2020; or need BIOS 2041)
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| CLRES 2810: Statistical Methods and Issues in Clinical Trials |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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The course will provide in-depth information about conducting randomization, planning sample size, analyzing clinical trials (including phase I, II, and III designs), and reporting and interpreting results of studies. We will use manuscripts on clinical trials and protocols of completed studies to facilitate learning of concepts discussed in class. We highly recommend that students take analysis of variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression courses before taking this course. (Prerequisites: need CLRES 2005, and CLRES 2020, and CLRES 2800; or need BIOS 2041, and CLRES 2800)
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| CLRES 2813: Introduction to Patient Care and Clinical Environments |
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| 3.0 credit(s) |
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This 3-credit course is designed for students who have no significant clinical experience with the U.S. health care system. The course is divided into two main sections. In the first section, we will cover medical and health care concepts and terms and will discuss observational techniques derived from the Toyota Production System. In the second section of the course, students will shadow physicians in a variety of clinical settings and report back to the class on their observations, using the skills learned in the first half of the course. No previous clinical experience is assumed. Students will be expected to attend lectures and will spend a significant portion of their time observing and reporting on different clinical settings throughout the semester.
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| CLRES 2820: Special Topics in Clinical Trials |
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| 1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring |
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The special topics course will provide information on the different types of clinical trials beyond the phase III superiority parallel group design. We will use manuscripts on special types of clinical trials to facilitate learning of concepts discussed in class. We highly recommend that students take analysis of variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression courses before taking this course. (Prerequisites: need CLRES 2005, CLRES 2020, and CLRES 2810; or need BIOS 2041, CLRES 2800, and CLRES 2810)
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| CLRES 2900: Transforming Practice for Improved Health Care |
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| 2.0 credit(s) |
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CLRES 2900 will provide an overview of theories, methods, structures, and processes useful for translating evidence-based research findings into practice and for transforming the practice setting to improve quality and outcomes. Students will be required to develop a research proposal or business plan related to translating research findings into practice or to transforming the clinical practice setting. Students will have the opportunity to subsequently implement their proposal or business plan in the optional CLRES 2910 Translational Research Practicum.
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| CLRES 2910: Transforming Practice Practicum |
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| 2.0-3.0 credit(s) |
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The course is designed to provide the students with experience implementing a proposal that was developed in the prerequisite course, CLRES 2900 (Transforming Practice for Improved Health Care). The practicum will provide students with hands-on experience describing or explaining barriers to health care or developing and testing interventions designed to enhance the quality of health care. In implementing their projects, students will collaborate with a faculty preceptor or mentor who has expertise in content and methods related to the project. Over a 9-month period, students in CLRES 2910 will revise their proposal or business plan from CLRES 2900, implement the revised proposal or plan under the guidance of their preceptor or mentor, and develop a poster or paper presentation. (Prerequisite: CLRES 2900)
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| CLRES 3010: PhD Independent and Directed Research |
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| 1.0-3.0 credit(s) |
| CLRES 3010 is an independent or directed research course for the PhD in Clinical and Translational Science. |
| CLRES 3020: Directed Study |
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| 1.0-9.0 credit(s) |
| This course provides the student with an opportunity ti carry out a specific project in any area of interest in clinical and translational science. |
| CLRES 3040: PhD Dissertation Research |
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| 1.0-14.0 credit(s) |
| Dissertation research credits towards PhD in Clinical and Translational Science. |
| CLRES 3140: Introduction to Translational Research in the Health Sciences |
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| 2.0 credit(s) |
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The course provides students with a comprehensive survey of the processes involved in translating research discoveries into practices that promote health and prevent disease. The specific topics to be covered will be listed in the lecture schedule. The main student evaluation is a multidisciplinary group project on a translational research concept or idea that has the potential to make a major impact on health within the next 10 years. Elements of the project include defining a health problem, justifying the line of research selected, identifying current barriers and suggesting how they can be overcome, anticipating the outcomes or impact, and identifying the disciplines that need to be involved in this research and why. Course lectures and content are delivered via electronic media, collaborative learning approaches, and classroom activities (both live and in online format). Live and online session dates will be provided in the syllabus lecture schedule. Online sessions require student attendance in virtual classroom discussions or group activities during the scheduled class time. Live sessions will meet in the classroom during the scheduled class time.
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MEDICAL EDUCATION
| MEDEDU 2005: Computer Methods in Clinical Research |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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The course provides instruction on the use of computerized methods for clinical research. Dataset manipulation, descriptive statistics, and the graphical presentation of data will be presented using a standard statistical package.
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| MEDEDU 2010: Clinical Research Methods |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This course covers fundamental concepts and basic analytic methods pertaining to the design, analysis, and interpretation of clinical research studies. The course is broadly divided into three major analytic areas: (1) basic epidemiology and observational methods, (2) interventional and randomized controlled trials, and (3) clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine. Each section of the course will last 7–9 sessions and culminate in a short examination. The first section of the course will cover concepts of association and outcome, introduce standard epidemiologic concepts of incidence and prevalence, and define and describe relative risk, absolute risk, attributable risk, and the various methods for calculating these quantities in different observational research designs. Definitions of and methods for reducing bias and confounding are major components of this section. The second section introduces interventional trials, including the four phases of drug trials, the importance and effects of randomization, and the analysis and interpretation of controlled trials. Methods for comparing results across trials, as well as an introduction to nonstandard trial designs, are provided. The final section of the course introduces the concepts of clinical epidemiology, including evidence-based medicine, the interpretation of diagnostic tests, the construction and use of clinical prediction rules, and the evaluation of screening for chronic disease.
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| MEDEDU 2020: Biostatistics |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This course focuses on basic concepts and statistical methods and their application to problems in the health and biomedical sciences. Topics include data description and summarization, basic probability theory, estimation, and hypothesis testing with emphasis on one- and two-sample comparisons involving continuous and categorical data. Linear regression and analysis of variance will be introduced. Trainees will develop their analytic skills through the analysis and discussion of large clinical studies. (Prerequisite: CLRES 2005)
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| MEDEDU 2040: Measurement in Clinical Research |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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The course focuses on properties of good measurement that are integral to the research process. Specific objectives are to analyze methods for testing psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of psychological instruments and physiological instruments; to evaluate the adequacy of selected scaling methodologies used in research; to apply knowledge of instrumentation to the description of a psychosocial instrument and a physiological instrument for a research proposal; and to synthesize course content with statistical criteria for scale evaluation and make decisions regarding scale revision. The domain sampling model is presented as the major theory of measurement error, with the parallel test model presented as a special case of the domain sampling model. The construct, criterion, and content validity of psychosocial instruments are explored, and methods for evaluating each of these relative to specific instruments are presented. A variety of scaling methodologies, as well as the principles involved in the design and formatting of questionnaires, will be discussed.
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| MEDEDU 2100: Enhancing Teaching Skills For the Clinician Educator |
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| 2.0 credit(s) |
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This course will briefly review the basic principles of adult learning as they relate to clinician-educators but will devote the majority of the time to discussing, developing, and advancing teaching skills of clinician-educators. Using a combination of formal didactics, presentations by students, role playing, and videotape review, participants will have ample opportunity to refine their skills in case-based learning, teaching at the bedside, and teaching in small and large groups. Topics will also include setting goals and expectations, feedback and evaluation, and dealing with the student in need of remediation. MEDEDU 2100 is intended to complement the Medical Mind, Cognitive Studies in Medicine, and Enhanced Teaching Skills: Longitudinal Practicum, and, in an integrated fashion, provide comprehensive knowledge and experience to shape future teaching skills of the master teacher.
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| MEDEDU 2120: Professional Development |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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Academic physicians who function as clinician-educators face career challenges unique to their career path. This course will provide future clinician-educators with information about these challenges so they are better prepared when starting their career. In addition, the course will provide specific skills to enhance the ability of clinician-educators to set goals, demonstrate their suitability for promotion, manage time effectively, and function in leadership roles.
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| MEDEDU 2130: Curriculum Development |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This course is designed to explore and develop the principles of curriculum design, implementation, and evaluation. Students will learn the fundamentals of developing goals and objectives; performing a needs assessment for curriculum development; designing the most efficient teaching strategy, including lecture, workshop, and problem-based learning sessions; evaluating student performance, including both knowledge assessment and performance-based assessment; evaluating faculty performance and course success; and strategies for grading.
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| MEDEDU 2140: Medical Writing and Presentation Skills |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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Medical educators and researchers must be able to present their work clearly and effectively. However, important educational material and research data are sometimes obscured by poorly delivered presentations or poorly written papers. The main objective of this course is to help students develop excellent medical writing and presentation skills. This objective will be achieved through a combination of lectures, readings, and individual and small-group projects in which students will practice specific skills. Students will have the opportunity to be videotaped while they present a talk and will receive anonymous written feedback.
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| MEDEDU 2150: Medical Education: Current Practice and Future Direction |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This course provides an overview of the practice of medical education in the United States, including issues affecting medical student curricula, residency training, and continuing medical education. We will examine forces shaping medical education by reviewing its history, financing, accreditation processes, social responsibility, and public accountability. Clinician-educator pathways will be presented, and promotion and tenure processes from this perspective will be summarized. The practical aspects of designing, implementing, and sustaining an educational program will be explored.
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| MEDEDU 2160: Topics in Medical Education and Medical Education Research |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This seminar series includes critical discussions and evaluations of relevant topics in medical education and methods employed by researchers in medical education. The seminars on the first Wednesday of the month consist of topics that critically evaluate new teaching methods or educational curricula. The seminars on the third Wednesday of the month deal with topics in research methods in medical education and serve as a forum to present research in progress or completed research projects. Enrollees for this series are expected to present at one of these conferences during the year, having reviewed their presentation topic with the course director prior to the session. Attendance at 16 sessions is required for 1 credit.
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| MEDEDU 2170: Making the Most of Mentoring |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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We strongly believe that effective mentoring is the cornerstone of a successful academic career—whether it be in education, research, or clinical work. Good mentors are able to guide mentees as they attempt to navigate through the course of their careers. This course is designed to provide a basis for understanding the mentor-mentee relationship and to provide strategies for making the most out of the experience. Topics will include communication and negotiation, the use of mentoring contracts, providing and accepting feedback, evaluating the mentoring relationship, and solving problems and meeting challenges. Fellows, postdocs, other Institute for Clinical Research Education (ICRE) trainees, and junior faculty will discover useful ways to enhance the mentoring relationship and make it a rewarding experience both for the mentees and the mentors.
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| MEDEDU 2190: Teaching Across Teams |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This special educational course will provide a component that is rarely offered in medical education and is often not provided in other health professions education. In the course, trainees will (1) learn about the training that other health professionals receive and come to understand the purpose of multidisciplinary teams as well as each providers role on the team,
(2) review and practice critical communication skills necessary to build teams and negotiate conflict,(3) learn educational methodology to assess team communication skills, and (4) have the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary learner teaching.
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| MEDEDU 2220: Teaching Evidence-Based Medicine |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This course will introduce the core concepts of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and will introduce methods to teach EBM in the clinical setting. The course will begin by reviewing the history of EBM and clinical epidemiology and describing how EBM became a new "paradigm of clinical practice." It will review the practices of EBM as they relate to clinical questions of therapy, diagnosis, prognosis, and harm. It will then describe the current approaches to teaching EBM and discuss the literature to support those approaches.
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| MEDEDU 2230: Innovative Teaching Strategies |
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| 2.0 credit(s) |
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This course is designed to enable medical educators to use information and telecommunications technology (ITT) to expand access to educational resources, implement new models of education, and enhance student and physician competence throughout the continuum of training and practice.
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| MEDEDU 2240: Cultural Competence |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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Cultural differences have always been integral to U.S. society and represent a dynamic mixture of races, ethnicities, and beliefs. Indeed, these differences are one of the characteristics most associated with Americans overseas. Only recently has there been recognition of the importance of these cultural differences in medical education. Therefore, there is still some confusion in medical academia regarding what the focus should be and why cultural competence is now of interest to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the accrediting body for allopathic medical schools, universities, managed care organizations, and various governmental bodies. This course is designed to explore the impact of diversity on the training of physicians and other health care providers.
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| MEDEDU 2250: Teaching Communication Skills |
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| 2.0 credit(s) |
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The most common thing that a physician does in his or her career is communicate with patients. This is the method that physicians use to gather information for the medical history, educate patients about their illness, and obtain informed consent regarding the various therapeutic options. During the past 25 years, doctor-patient communication has received increasing attention in medical education. Every medical school currently has a course focusing on communication skills, and many internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatric programs devote attention to these skills. The new ACGME requirements list communication skills as one of the six major focuses. In the future, physicians will need to be able to document their communications skills for certification and licensure. Over the past 10 years, there have been increasing data regarding the efficacy of educational interventions to improve physician communication skills. Courses at the medical school level and at the residency level need to incorporate these data to develop evidence-based interventions. The point of this course is to ensure that medical educators both understand the data and have the practical skills needed to design and teach communication courses.
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| MEDEDU 2260: Seminar Series in Medical Education |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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This course allows students the flexibility to choose among three established seminar series in medical education and to attend specific topics of interest and relevance to their teaching roles. The seminar series are the Medical Educational Research Methods and Innovative Designs (MERMAID) Series, the Academy of Master Educators (AME) Seminar Series, and Medical Education Grand Rounds. Specific information about dates and current and past topics for each series can be found on the series Web sites. To receive credit, students must document their attendance at 16 sessions. To promote active learning and enhance the relevance of the topics to teaching, the enrollees for this course will be required to choose one skill or learning point from any of the 16 sessions attended and write a one-page (maximum) paper describing how this skill or learning point was implemented in one of their teaching assignments or activities and also describing the outcome. This paper needs to be completed prior to credit allocation and submitted to the course director.
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| MEDEDU 2320: Clinical Problem Solving and Medical Decision Making |
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| 1.0 credit(s) |
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The process by which physicians make decisions is complicated and multifactorial. Understanding this process is critical for teaching the principles of clinical problem solving and medical decision making. Many theories and strategies have been put forward to better elucidate the process. The overall goals of this course are to introduce the learner to the principles of adult learning, to demonstrate how the principles are applied in the medical arena, and to develop strategies for teaching problem-solving and medical decision-making skills in the clinical setting.
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COURSES OFFERED THROUGH OTHER UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS
How to search for classes online using the Student Center
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Graduate Program (MSBMG)
- Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology Graduate Program (MSCBMP) - (see course listing here)
- Center for Bioethics and Health Law (BIOETH) - (see course listing here)
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences (BCHS) - (see course listing here)
- Department of Biostatistics (BIOST) - (see course listing here)
- Department of Epidemiology (EPIDEM) - (see course listing here)
- Department of Health Policy and Management (HPM) - (see course listing here)
- Department of Human Genetics (HUGEN) - (see course listing here)
- Department of Infectious Disease and Microbiology (IDM) - (see course listing here)
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology (MSMPHL) - (see course listing here)
- Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) - (see course listing here)
- Graduate Program in Immunology (MSIMM) - (see course listing here)
- Graduate Program in Molecular Virology and Microbiology (MSMVM) - (see course listing here)
- Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program (INTBP)
- School of Pharmacy (PHARM) - (see course listing here)
The Institute for Clinical Research Education serves as the Research Education and Career Development Core