Course Listings

You need not be enrolled in one of our programs to take courses at the ICRE. Available courses are listed below. New prospective students who are applying to take course as "non-degree" students are required to complete the standard application. Please click here for the application or contact the program at 412-586-9632 or icre@pitt.edu for more information.

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 2nd 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 648-7890 (Voice or TTD) to schedule an appointment. The Office is located in 216 William Pitt Union.

ICRE Course Calendars and Course Availability

Clinical Research

Medical Education

Courses through the Institute for Clinical Research Education (ICRE)

Courses through other University Departments

CLINICAL RESEARCH

CLRES 2005 : Computer Methods in Clinical Research (1.0 credits)
Provides instruction on the use of computerized methods for clinical research. Data set manipulation, descriptive statistics, and the graphical presentation of data will be presented using a standard statistical package.

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CLRES 2010 : Clinical Research Methods (3.0 credits)
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. Section 1 will cover concepts of association and outcome, introduce standard epidemiological concepts of incidence and prevalence, define and describe relative risk, absolute risk, attributable risk and the various methods for calculating those quantities in different observational research designs. Definitions of and methods for reducing bias and confounding are major components of this section. The second session 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 non-standard 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 (4.0 credits)
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.

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CLRES 2021 : ANOVA and Regression (1.0 credits)
Designed for medical researchers who are not biostatistics majors. The course will focus on the basic concepts of analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, linear regressions, and useful experimental designs. At the completion of the course, trainees should be able to understand the appropriate uses of ANOVA and linear regressions; to understand the basic concepts behind an experimental design for existing medical research; to build toward the ability to design an experiment for future medical research; and to recognize situations that require more advanced knowledge and methods.

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CLRES 2022 : Logistic Regression (1.0 credits)
Introductory course in logistic regression modeling. This course 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 epidemiological and clinical questions; to interpret models and assess their appropriateness and adequacy; to develop analytic skills through the analysis of data sets 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.

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CLRES 2023 : Survival Analysis (1.0 credits)
Introductory course in regression modeling of time-to-event data. This course 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 data sets 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.

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CLRES 2024 : Nonparametric Statistics (1.0 credits)
Introductory course intended for physicians in fellowship training programs and other researchers with a limited background in statistics. This course focuses on statistical methods that are applicable when research outcomes follow diverse probability distributions (normal and non-normal). Specific attention will be given to bootstrap and rank-based methods. Trainees will develop analytic skills through the analysis of data sets taken from the fields of medicine and public health and will develop oral and written communication skills through the description of analytic strategies and the summarization and interpretation of results.

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CLRES 2040 : Measurement in Clinical Research (1.0 credits)
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 will be discussed, as well as the principles involved in the design and formatting of questionnaires.

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CLRES 2050 : Ethics and Regulations in Clinical Research (1.0 credits)
Presents an in-depth examination of the basic concepts, values, and policies related to the conduct of clinical research. Topics include the historical context for today's heightened scrutiny of clinical researchers, and the formal mechanisms that are in place to guide researchers and protect the rights and well-being of research subjects. Special attention will be devoted to informed consent, the design and justification of randomized clinical trials, research with vulnerable populations and ethical aspects of international research. Other topics will include conflicts of interest, plagiarism, scientific misconduct; authorship and presentation of data. The course is specifically designed to coordinate with the year-long seminar, Research Design and Development (CLRES 2071 and 2072). The trainees will use their NIH-style proposal to create an IRB submission, which will be critiqued by their peers according to IRB criteria.

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CLRES 2071 : Research Design and Development Seminar Part I (3.0 credits)
The purpose of the integrated methods seminar series 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 seminars 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. (Prerequisite: Mentor must be identified prior to class; CLRES 2050 is taken simultaneously.)

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CLRES 2072 : Research Design and Development Seminar Part II (2.0 credits)
The purpose of the integrated methods seminar series 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 seminars 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. (Prerequisite: Mentor must be identified prior to class; CLRES 2050 is taken simultaneously.)

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CLRES 2074 : Seminar for Medical Students & Residents (0.0 credits)
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. Several elements of the seminar are to be completed independently. These include web-based training and attendance at University of Pittsburgh clinical research career workshops as outlined under requirements.
CLRES 2080 : Master Thesis Research (3.0 credits)
Trainees may register for this course with approval from the mentor and selected faculty of the CRTP Curriculum Committee. The course is designed for trainees who are prepared to undertake their thesis or substantive research project .
CLRES 2090 : Computer Assisted Epidemiologic Data Analysis (2.0 credits)
The purpose of this class is to become familiar and facile with study designs options and the analytic techniques that are paired with them. Further goals are to learn to outline an analysis for a research project, select the appropriate statistical procedures to test the desired hypothesis, carry out allphases of the analysis using SPSS software and using data sets from the MOMI database, and display the findings in appropriate tables and graphs. Last goal is to write a manuscript describing analytic methods and drawing conclusions from the findings.
CLRES 2100 : Outcomes and Effectiveness Research Methods (2.0 credits)
Provides a survey of effectiveness research. The curriculum will deal with conceptualization, design, sampling, modeling, data collection, and analysis used in outcomes and effectiveness studies. The emphasis of the course will be largely on research methodology and study design. The course will be interactive and will extensively use studies published in the literature as a teaching tool. At the completion of the course, trainees should understand how to design an effectiveness study; have an understanding of how to control for severity and comorbidity in studies of effectiveness; know the wide range of outcomes used in this research; and learn important examples of effectiveness studies.

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CLRES 2110 : Quality Improvement in Health Care (1.0 credits)
Provides an introduction to concepts and techniques used to measure and improve the quality of health care. The causes of the apparent prominence of health care quality in the current debate about health maintenance organizations and managed care will be explored, and an understanding of the methodologies that can be applied to processes of health care delivery to improve the quality of care will be presented. The application of the basic techniques used in quality assessment and process improvement, including statistical process control, process management, and variations analysis, will be presented.

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CLRES 2120 : Cost Effectiveness Analysis in Health Care (1.0 credits)
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 (1.0 credits)
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 : Advance Methods in Decision and Cost Effectiveness Analyses (1.0 credits)
Expands on topics introduced in CLRES 2120 (Cost-effectiveness Analysis) 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 multi-attribute utility theory. (Prerequisites: CLRES 2120 and CLRES 2121.)

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CLRES 2124 : CEA and DA Directed Study (1-3 credits)
There are no formal class meetings. Each student will meet independently with their chosen faculty members; develop a timeline and schedule of meetings and milestones for various components of the particular project, or topic review. It is expected that the student and faculty member will meet every one-two weeks during the duration of the course.
CLRES 2130 : Health Services Research Using Secondary Data: Didactic Course (1.0 credits)
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. (Prerequisite for CLRES 2131).

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CLRES 2131 : Health Services Research Using Secondary Data: Project Course (3.0 credits)
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 (1.0 credits)
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 2150 : Community and Campus Program and Research Partnerships (1.0 credits)
The goal of this course is to provide health professional trainees with knowledge and skills for building community and campus partnerships to improve the health of traditionally underserved communities through service, research, and education. To accomplish this goal, participants will learn how to develop collaborative community program and research initiatives, apply the principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR), and apply the knowledge of the health care needs of vulnerable populations to improve the health and health care services directed to these communities. Topics of discussion include cultural competency issues in serving and investigating underserved populations, health problems facing distressed communities, and traditional and innovative solutions to improve the health of vulnerable populations. Participants in the course will be taught by academic and community leaders who are familiar with the health care needs of underserved communities and who practice effective community-based participatory research. Both academic and community perspectives will be emphasized. By the end of the course, participants will be able to construct a CBPR proposal using skills developed during the course.

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CLRES 2300 : Introduction to Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (1.0 credits)
This 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 systematic reviews/meta-analyses after completion of the course. Students will learn about the individual steps involved in conducting systematic reviews and meta-analysis, including developing a focused research question, assembling a team to perform the study, designing a study protocol, defining inclusion/exclusion criteria, identifying relevant literatures databases (including cochrane databases, medline, etc.) Developing literature search strategies, performing the literature search, creation of a data abstraction form, data abstraction and management, and statistical methods for meta-analysis. We will discuss in detail important topics such as when it is appropriate to perform meta-analysis, exploration of heterogeneity, choosing 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 and a “hands-on” component, whereby students can immediately apply the concepts that were 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 (2.0 credits)
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 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 reviews 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.

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CLRES 2320 : Clinical Trials Practicum (2-3 credits)
The purpose of the clinical trials practicum is for trainees (fellows and junior faculty) who are actively conducting clinical research to obtain course credit for their research experience. Each trainee is required to work with an experienced clinical researcher (investigator) who formally agrees to provide the trainee mentorship. The investigator must be working on patient-oriented (hands on) clinical research or conducting clinical trials. Trainees are expected to become part of the research team and learn how studies or trials are actually designed, implemented, managed and analyzed. Trainees are also expected to contribute by taking a specific question and analyzing a data set from the trial. They can write up their findings for possible publication under the supervision of the investigators and are expected to provide a written summary of their involvement that is validated by their mentors at the end of the experience.
CLRES 2400 : Qualitative Research Methods (1.0 credits)
This course will introduce participants to the characteristics and various approaches to designing and conducting qualitative research projects in health and health services research. Students will gain hands-on experience in various qualitative methods and analysis techniques while carrying out a research project related to their area of interest. Topics covered will include study design, data collection (with a focus 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 paper project will be tailored to meet the current research development needs of each individual student, and may include options such as 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 2420 : Math Modeling Techniques (3.0 credits)
This course will provide a survey of mathematical methods used to model complex biological systems. It is organized into three sections that cover 1) continuous and deterministic state of approaches using different equations, basic feedback models and compartmental models, 2) discrete and stochastic approaches using Markov, Monte, Carlo and discrete event simulation techniques and 3) agent-based models.

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CLRES 2500 : Introduction to Patient Oriented Research in Aging (3.0 credits)
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 using the content of this course. CRTP trainees who 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 area of concentration in aging and chronic disease.

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CLRES 2510 : Aging Research in Special Settings (1.0 credits)
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.

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CLRES 2520 : Special Issues in Clinical Trials in Older Populations (1.0 credits)
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.
CLRES 2530 : New and Emerging Techniques in Aging Research (1.0 credits)
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 aging literature that involves these techniques and in identifying appropriate techniques to enhance their own studies in the future.
CLRES 2601 : Principles and Practice in Palliative Care Part I (1.0 credits)
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 (1.0 credits)
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 2610 : Research Methods in Palliative Care (1.0 credits)
This special methods course will provide the critical bridge between the more general research skills, which are the focus of the CRTP, 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 CRTP Concentration in Palliative Care. It consists of the following components: Discussion of the use of specific research methods and their strengths and limitations in palliative care; 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 co-moderated by a palliative care physician and a researcher with the particular methodologies expertise under discussion.
CLRES 2700 : FUNDAMENTALS OF BENCH RESEARCH (3.0 credits)
This course is designed to teach fellows in training and future clinician scientists the core principles of scientific investigation. The course is organized such that fellows can learn the theory behind most of the common research approacheds as well as new and innovative approaches of current scientific endeavors. In addition, participants acquire laboratory technical skills via a "learning by doing" approach in a two-week period.
CLRES 2710 : TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH TOOLS: HOW TO NAVIGATE BETWEEN THE BENCH AND THE BEDSIDE (1.0 credits)
The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the general concepts and approaches used in translational research. While each translational research project is necessarily focused on specific hypotheses, diseases and preclinical models, the topics presented in this course represent commom themes that are broadly relevant to carring out translational research. This course will provide an introduction to eight general fields to familarize students with these areas and how they may be applied to translational research

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CLRES 2720 : TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES (1.0 credits)
This seminar will introduce students to translational research in the format of conversational interviews between seminar leaders and distinguished senior faculty who are actively engaged in translational research. The seminar discussions will emphasize the methodologies and principles used in the interviewees’ research through questions posed to investigators asking them to describe their career path, field of inquiry and development of their research teams and programs. Topics will emphasize effective translation of the basic science knowledge, techniques, and mechanisms into new clinical approaches that have far-reaching consequences for training of researchers who focus their careers on translation.

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CLRES 2730 : FROM BENCHTOP TO BEDSIDE: WHAT EVERY SCIENTIST NEEDS TO KNOW (2.0 credits)
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 the potential of discoveries that have therapeutic or diagnostic applications. They will understand how proof-of-concept and validation experiments define the application, increase value, and reduce 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 all scientific researchers and those interested in gaining knowledge of the commerical development process. The core faculty for the course will include oed staff members, and numerous guest speakers and panelists from the scientific and entrepreneurial community.

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CLRES 2740 : SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP (1.0 credits)
Whether you are starting out in your research career and looking for direction or you want to discover and develop your leadership skills or learn how to work effectively in collaborative teams, the 2006 Course in Scientific Management and Leadership will introduce you to and provide you with some of the skills required for successful career development in both basic and clinical research. The interactive 2-1/2 day workshop is designed for post-doctoral and clinical fellows and junior faculty in the Schools of Health Sciences and will provide insight into leadership and team building as well as direction on how to develop and manage a scientific laboratory or research program, how to improve productivity, an how to enhance creativity and innovation. This course provides a unique opportunity to work with a diverse and multidisciplinary group of senior faculty and to network with both basic an clinical researchers from across the Schools of the Health Sciences.
CLRES 2800 : FUNDAMENTALS IN CLINICAL TRIALS (1.0 credits)
Fundamentals in clinical trials course will provide information on the first three phases (phases i-iii) of drug development and 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 developing research questions and defining endpoints, recruitment, randomization, blinding, data management & quality, monitoring, study closeout, and presentation/interpretation of results. The student will be introduced to the good clinical practice guidelines and the principles of planning and implementing clinical research protocols including: ethical issues and regulatory imperatives designed to protect human subjects in clinical research, adverse event reporting, protocol/proposal development, and publications. We will use manuscripts on clinical trials and protocols of completed studies to facilitate learning of concepts discussed in class. It is highly recommended that you have taken anova and logistic regression courses before taking this course. Prerequisite: clres 2020 (biostatistics) or bios 2041.

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CLRES 2810 : STATISTICAL METHODS AND ISSUES IN CLINICAL TRIALS (1.0 credits)
Statistical methods and issues in clinical trials course will provide in depth information conducting randomization, sample size planning, analysis of clinical trials including phase i, ii, and iii designs, and reporting/interpreting results of studies. We will use manuscripts on clinical trials and protocols of completed studies to facilitate learning of concepts discussed in class. It is highly recommended that you have taken anova and logistic regression courses before taking this course. Prerequisites: clres 2020 (biostatistics) or bios 2041; and clres 2800 (fundamentals in clinical trials).

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CLRES 2813 : CLINICAL ENVIRONMENTS IN BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS (3.0 credits)
This course is designed to introduce biomedical informatics students who have no significant clinical experience in the u.s. to the various clinical environments in which health care providers create, manage, and use clinical information. No previous clinical experience is assumed. Students will be expected to attend lectures and will spend a significant portion of their time examining and reporting on different clinical settings throughout the semester.
CLRES 2820 : SPECIAL TOPICS IN CLINICAL TRIALS (1.0 credits)
Special topics in clinical trials 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. It is highly recommended that you have taken anova and logistic regression courses before taking this course. Prerequisites: clres 2020 (biostatistics) or bios 2041; clres 2800 (fundamentals in clinical trials); and clres 2810 statistical methods and issues in clinical trials.

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CLRES 2900 : Transforming Practice for Improved Health Care (2.0 credits)
Transforming Practice for Improved Health Care course 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. The course will provide didactic underpinnings of translation of research findings into practice and transforming practice. Students will be required to develop a research proposal or business plan related to translating evidence-based research findings into practice, or for 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 : Translational Research Practicum (2-3 credits)
The course is designed to provide the students with experience implementing a proposal that was developed in the prerequisite course “Transforming Practice for Improved Health Care.” The practicum will provide the student with hands-on experience describing or explaining barriers to, or developing and testing interventions designed to enhance quality of health care. In implementing their projects, students will collaborate with a faculty preceptor/mentor who has expertise in content and methods related to the student’s proposed project. Over a 9-month period, students in CLRES 2910 will revise their proposal or business plan from CLRES 2900, implement the revised proposal/plan under the guidance of their preceptor/mentor, and develop a poster or paper presentation.

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BEHAVIORAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH SCIENCES

BCHS 2502 : SOC BEHVRL ASPCTS PH PRAC (1.5 credits)
Course provides an overview of the social and behavioral factors that are associated with the design and implementation of public and community health programs. Emphasis is also given to the significance of social and behavioral issues as they apply to effective public health leadership, program implementation and interdisciplinary team work.
BCHS 2532 : DIMENSIONS OF AGING: CULTURAL & HEALTH (2.0 credits)
Provides an overview of the aging experience from a cross cultural and a public health perspective. The ways in which people cope with and adapt to the aging process is the major theme.
BCHS 2533 : ISSUES IN LONG TERM CARE SERVICES (3.0 credits)
Long term care is a system of institutional and community based services for the aging population. Using this framework, services and delivery systems are analyszed for ade quacy and appropriateness; system-wide issues identified and discussed; and selected components of the delivery system examined for administrative problems.
BCHS 2545 : INTRO COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH (2.0 credits)
Overview of field; background material regarding philosophical, social, and psychological impetus for community-based mental health programs.
BCHS 2548 : COMNY MENTL HLTH COSUL TECHNQ (1.0 credits)
Through seminar and actual consultation experience, the processes that extend the effectiveness of mental health specialists to other personnel in areas of community organization, program development, education, and service are studied.
BCHS 2563 : COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT (3.0 credits)
Techniques for assessing and projecting selected community characteristics and population health status from the view point of community health programming. Covers both primary and secondary data such as demographic data, health-care utilization and survey data.
BCHS 2568 : HUMAN DIVESITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH (2.0 credits)
This course will provide a theoretical framework for designing policy, research, and programs for diverse populations. Opportunities for expanding understanding and examining attitudes about human diversity will be presented. Community organizations and marketing methods related to program design and recruiting and subtaining volunteer or patient participation in programs will be a major focus of the course.
BCHS 2585 : HISTL SOCLGCL PERSP PBLC HLTH (3.0 credits)
Seminar will examine, through assigned readings and discussions, the historical and sociological influences on specific topics within the broad field of public health. Particular attention will be placed on the impact of five general themes on the evolution and current status of public health, the role of government, urbanization, industrialization, religion, and advances in science and technology.
BCHS 2599 : PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACHES TO WOMEN HEALTH (3.0 credits)
Public health problems affecting women, i.e., alcoholism, smoking, occupational health, reproductive health, aging and cancer, as well as health and social problems relating primarily to women are discussed. Etiology of health problems, prevention, and treatment, high-risk groups, and controversies related to care are covered.
BCHS 3002 : Health Survey Methods (3.0 credits)
Introduces techniques for the collection of health data through survey methods.
BCHS 3007 : ETHNOGRAPHIC AND QUALITATIVE METHODS (3.0 credits)
Students will be introduced to the basic principles of enthnographic research and their application to the evaluation of human service and health care programs. They will become familiar with research design in ethnographic studies; the process of fieldwork in urban settings; the methodology of participant observation and ethnographic interviewing; recording ethnographic data; ethnographic writing; and ethical questions surrounding ethnographic research.

BIOSTATISTICS

BIOST 2016 : Introduction to Sampling (2.0 credits)
Provides a working knowledge of practical sampling methods with an understanding of their theoretical background. Emphasis is placed on sampling human populations in large communities.
BIOST 2025 : Biostatistics Seminar (1.0 credits)
Biometry seminars introduce the students to current health problems involving the application and development of biostatistics methods and theory.
BIOST 2045 : Analysis of Case-Control Studies (2.0 credits)
Methods employed in the study of health problems in population groups within the community. The course covers measures of disease occurrence and association for various study designs, classical analysis of grouped and matched case control studies, and an introduction to logistic regression.
BIOST 2046 : Analysis of Cohort Studies (3.0 credits)
This introductory applied course in statistical modeling focuses on regression methods for the analysis of cohort data. Topics include the generalized linear model and generalized estimating equations (with emphasis on logistic and poisson regression), and cox regressions with time-dependent covariates. Students analyze several cohort data sets, assess the adequacy of their models, and interpret their results.
BIOST 2062 : Clinical Trials: Practice and Methods (3.0 credits)
The course lectures integrate web-based material covering fundamental concepts in the design and conduct of modern clinical trials. Topics include: experimental designs, interim monitoring, analysis methods for camparative clinical trials, ethical, organizational and practical considerations for design, case studies, international guidelines for publications in major journals, and meta-analyses.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

EOH 2302 : Molecular Approaches - Toxicology (2.0 credits)
This course is designed to introduce students to recent advances in field molecular toxicology. A basic foundation in genetics and tools of biotechnology will first be developed. Recent examples of innovative approaches used to study toxic agents at molecular level will then be described. Progress in the research of DNA/Protein adducts, Xenobiotic metabolism and characterization of oncogenes will also be discussed.
EOH 2304 : Biomarkets and Molecular Epidemiology (2.0 credits)
Elective course summarizes the concept and biological principles underlying basis molecular biomarkers; provides students with understanding methodological principles of use; biomarkers epidemiologic research relevant to study of chronic human disease and public health application; summarize present use specific biomarkers in epidemiologic and clincal research with examples in human cancer cardiovascular, immunological, and neurological diseases.
EOH 2305 : Mechanisms of DNA Metabolism, Damage and Repair (3.0 credits)
Mechanisms and consequences of somatic and hereditary genetic damage, including methods to detect characterize and quantitate genetic lesions. Provides molecular and theoretical basis for evaluation of genotoxicological data on exposure to mutagenetic/carcinogenic agents and on genetic predisposition for susceptibility to disease.

EPIDEMIOLOGY

EPIDEM 2171 : Cancer Epidemiology (2.0 credits)
This course reviews basic cancer biology, reviews classic descriptive cancer epidemiology, considers the role for modern biomedical techniques in studies of cancer etiology, and reviews the active hypotheses regarding the etiology of common and uncommon human cancers. Specific topics include cancer biomarkers and intermediate endpoints, tobacco and alcohol associated cancer, viral associated cancer, endocrine related cancer, and nutrition related cancer.
EPIDEM 2400 : Psychosocial Factors in Disease (2.0 credits)
This course focuses on psychosocial and behavioral factors, such as socioeconomic status, stress, social support, and depression, that influence the development and course of physical diseases. Diseases include cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, and obesity. Course includes lectures, readings, and discussions.
EPIDEM 2710 : Epidemiology of Women's Health (2.0 credits)
This course presents an introduction to studies of influences on health and disease among women. It discusses epidemiologic approaches to understanding the basic etiology and primary prevention of diseases unique to or more common among women. Course includes lectures, seminars, and discussion.
EPIDEM 2711 : PHYSIOLOGY IN WOMEN (2.0 credits)
This course provides a basic understanding of the physiology of the human female. It will emphasize the interactions between the endocrinology of women and basic growth, development and metabolism. Course includes lectures and discussion.
EPIDEM 2850 : Intro to Pharmacoepidemiology (2.0 credits)
This course is an introduction to the field of pharmacoepidemiology which uses epidemiologic methods to examine the benefits or risks of medications in the population. In addition to formal lectures, students will be given the opportunity to examine and critique the literature in the area.
EPIDEM 2900 : Epidemiology of Aging (2.0 credits)
Teaches epidemiologic methods pertinent to research on aging individuals and the current state of the art knowledge of epidemiology of diseases that primarily affect aging individuals.

HEALTH POLICY MANAGEMENT

HPM 2028 : Microeconomics Applied to Health (3.0 credits)
This course is an introduction to microeconomics, the study of resource allocation with particular emphasis on the role of markets. The course focuses on the competitive model. Examples of the use of economic concepts are drawn primarily from the health and medical care delivery systems.
HPM 2105 : Health and Medical Care Organization (2.0 credits)
This course touches upon the structure of health care delivery systems and prevailing patterns and methods of delivery of health and medical care services. It reviews te historical, ethical and legal basis of consumer behavior. The course covers personnel and facilities, organization, financing, and quality assessment with special attention given to managed medical care. Students develop skills in analyzing contemporary policy issues from an interdisciplinary vantage.
HPM 2125 : Health Economics (3.0 credits)
Examines the market for medical services, with the view that the special nature of the market demands careful economic analysis rather than the abandonment of economic principles. Topics include the demand for health and the derived demand for health/medical care and insurance, the supply of medical services (physician and hospital in particular), the roles of uncertainity and information, and the problems of pricing, production, and distribution of health and medical services.
HPM 2135 : Health Policy (2.0 credits)
An introduction to federal and state legislative, admnistrative, and budget systems as they affect health services. The course focuses on the study of selected health policies, considering them in their historical perspective, present status, and future direction within their social, economic, and political contexts.

HUMAN GENETICS

HUGEN 2025 : Human Genetics Seminar (0.0 credits)
Human genetics seminars present current genetics methodology, theory, and data.
HUGEN 2031 : Chromosomes and Human Disease (3.0 credits)
The role of the chromosomes in human disease is discussed after a thorough background on chromosome structure and function is presented. Topics covered include cytogenetic methodology, aneuploidy, chromosome rearrangements, chromosomes and cancer, chromosome breakage syndromes,and fragile sites on human chromosomes.
HUGEN 2034 : Introduction to Human Biochemical and Molecular Genetics (3.0 credits)
An introduction course in human biochemical and molecular genetics with special reference to the biochemical and molecular basis of genetic diseases and the distribution of genetically determined disease susceptibility in human populations.
HUGEN 2040 : Molecular Basis of Human Inherited Disease (3.0 credits)
This course will provide an up-to-date overview of the most common and biologically informative human inherited disorders and will integrate clinical descriptions with recent genetic, molecular genetic, and biochemical insights. Disorders covered include lysosomal storage disorders, neuromuscular diseases, organic acidopathies, amino acidopathies, neurofibromatosis, cystic fibrosis, neurodegenerative and ophthalmic disorders. Current techniques of gene mapping, cloning, transfer, and expression will be integrated into the overviews.
HUGEN 2048 : Linkage Analysis Human Genetics (3.0 credits)
An advanced course which discusses the principles and practice of linkage analysis in human genetics. The course will cover both parametric and nonparametic approaches to linkage analysis, and includes hands-on experience with the current computer programs used for linkage analysis.

MEDICAL EDUCATION

MEDEDU 2005 : Computer Methods in Clinical Research (1.0 credits)
Provides instruction on the use of computerized methods for clinical research. Data set manipulation, descriptive statistics, and the graphical presentation of data will be presented using a standard statistical package.
MEDEDU 2010 : Clinical Research Methods (3.0 credits)
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. Section 1 will cover concepts of association and outcome, introduce standard epidemiological concepts of incidence and prevalence, define and describe relative risk, absolute risk, attributable risk and the various methods for calculating those quantities in different observational research designs. Definitions of and methods for reducing bias and confounding are major components of this section. The second session 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 non-standard 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.
MEDEDU 2020 : Biostatistics (4.0 credits)
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.
MEDEDU 2040 : Measurement in Clinical Research (1.0 credits)
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 will be discussed, as well as the principles involved in the design and formatting of questionnaires.
MEDEDU 2050 : Ethics and Regulations in Clinical Research (1.0 credits)
Presents an in-depth examination of the basic concepts, values, and policies related to the conduct of clinical research. Topics include the historical context for today's heightened scrutiny of clinical researchers, and the formal mechanisms that are in place to guide researchers and protect the rights and well-being of research subjects. Special attention will be devoted to informed consent, the design and justification of randomized clinical trials, research with vulnerable populations and ethical aspects of international research. Other topics will include conflicts of interest, plagiarism, scientific misconduct; authorship and presentation of data. The course is specifically designed to coordinate with the year-long seminar, Research Design and Development (CLRES 2071 and 2072). The trainees will use their NIH-style proposal to create an IRB submission, which will be critiqued by their peers according to IRB criteria.
MEDEDU 2071 : Research Design and Development Seminar Part I (3.0 credits)
The purpose of the integrated methods seminar series 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 seminars 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. (Prerequisite: Mentor must be identified prior to class; CLRES 2050 is taken simultaneously.)
MEDEDU 2072 : Research Design and Development Seminar Part II (2.0 credits)
The purpose of the integrated methods seminar series 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 seminars 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. (Prerequisite: Mentor must be identified prior to class; CLRES 2050 is taken simultaneously.)
MEDEDU 2080 : Master Thesis Research (3.0 credits)
Trainees may register for this course with approval from the mentor and selected faculty of the CETP Curriculum Committee. CLRES 2080 is designed for trainees who are prepared to undertake their substantive research project or thesis.
MEDEDU 2100 : Enhancing Teaching Skills (2.0 credits)
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. This course 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 2110 : Medical Mind (2.0 credits)
The course is intended to serve as an intensive introduction to human information processing and a survey of its applications in medical practice and training. The course is also intended to provide theoretical basis for research and practice in medical education.

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MEDEDU 2120 : Professional Development (1.0 credits)
Academic physicians who function as clinician educators face career challenges unique to their career path. This course will provide the future clinician educator information about these challenges so that the physician is better prepared when starting his or her career. In addition, the course will provide specific skills to enhance the clinician educator's ability to set goals, demonstrate their suitability for promotion, manage time effectively, and function in leadership roles.

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MEDEDU 2130 : Curriculum Development (1.0 credits)
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 finally strategies for grading.

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MEDEDU 2131 : Strategies for Dealing with the Problem Learner (1.0 credits)
This course is designed to be a practical, hands on approach to dealing with students who present with learning difficulties. Both didactic instruction and small group problem solving for difficulty learners will be presented. The goals for the course are as follows: 1) learn how to identify problem learners, 2) develop a differential diagnosis of problem learner behavior, 3) develop strategies for remediation and monitoring remediation, 4) review strategies for documentation and tracking of problem students, and 5) review issues of competency and promotion.
MEDEDU 2140 : Medical Writing and Presentation Skills (1.0 credits)
Medical educators and researchers must be able to present their work clearly and effectively. However, excellent educational material and important 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 where 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, Administration, and Future Directions (1.0 credits)
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 (1.0 credits)
This seminar series includes critical discussion and evaluation of relevant topics in medical education and presentation and review of 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 would be 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.
MEDEDU 2201 : Teaching Practicum: Outpatient Teaching (1-3 credits)
Teaching in the outpatient setting is an important activity for clinician-educators in academic and community practice. This course involves 16-48 hours of observed outpatient clinical teaching. The student is responsible for identifying a primary site and preceptor who will be responsible for observations and evaluation of performance, perform monthly evaluations and submit a formal summative evaluation at conclusion of the observations. The student is also responsible for submitting a formal personal reflections response to their teaching experience, including plans for improvement in teaching skills.
MEDEDU 2202 : Teaching Practicum: Inpatient Teaching (1.0 credits)
Teaching in an inpatient setting is an important activity for clinical-educators in academic and community practice. This course involves 16 hours of observed inpatient clinical teaching on inpatient service (including consult medicine). The requirements of the course are identification of a primary preceptor who will be responsible for observations and evaluation of clinical teaching in the sessions, evaluation after each session, formal summative evaluation by the primary preceptor, and formal personal reflections responses.
MEDEDU 2203 : Teaching Practicum: Classroom Teaching (0.5 credits)
Classroom teaching is an important activity for clinician-educators. This 0.5 credit course, in which students can enroll twice for a maximum of 1 credit, consists of 8 hours of observed and evaluated nonclinical classroom teaching, lecturing, or PBL sessions. The student must identify and list teaching sessions and identify a primary preceptor for each session who will be responsible for observation and evaluation of the teaching. Students will be evaluated after each session and a formal summative evaluation by the primary preceptor will serve as the main determinant of the final grade. The student must also write a personal reflection essay on their teaching, including personal plans for continued improvement.
MEDEDU 2210 : Teaching the Teachers (1.0 credits)
Faculty development (FD) programs designed to improve teaching and/or administrative skills of academic and community-based faculty are critical to the future successes of the academic medical center. One of the major roles of clinician-educators, therefore, is to develop and lead successful (FD) programs. This course is aimed at enhancing the clinician-educators' skills in creating and carrying out faculty development programs for a variety of learners and learners' needs. We will review the wide range of areas in which (FD) plays a role, methods for assessing the learning needs of specific groups of teachers and learners, methods that have been used in specific FD programs, and ways to assess the short- and long-term outcomes of FD efforts. Participants will be required to design their own faculty development project, complete with developing a needs assessment survey, instructional materials, and tools for assessing its effectiveness. Participants will also develop and run a FD workshop within the class, based on their own personal learning needs. This course is an Independent Study and requires the approval of the instructor. (Prerequisites: MEDEDU 2130)

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MEDEDU 2220 : Teaching Evidence Based Medicine (1.0 credits)
This course will introduce the core concepts of evidence-based medicine and introduce methods to teach it in the clinical setting. The course will begin by reviewing the history of evidence-based medicine and clinical epidemiology and describe its rise to now become a new "paradigm of clinical practice". We will review the core concepts and practices of evidence-based medicine as they relate to clinical questions of therapy, diagnosis, prognosis, and harm. We will then describe the current approaches to teaching evidence-based medicine and the literature to support those approaches.

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MEDEDU 2230 : Innovative Teaching Strategies (2.0 credits)
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 (1.0 credits)
Cultural differences have always been integral to American 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 (definition) 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 (2.0 credits)
The most common thing that a physician does in his/her career is communicate with patients. This is the method that physicians obtain information (history), educate patients about their illness and obtain informed consent regarding the various therapeutic options. In the last twenty five year, doctor-patient communication has received increasing attention in medical education. Every medical school current has a course focusing on communication skills, and many internal medicine, family medicine and pediatric programs devote attention to this area. The new ACGME requirements have communication skills as one of their six major focuses. In the future, physicians will need to be able to document their communications skills for certification and licensure. Over the last ten years there has been increasing data regarding the efficacy of educational interventions to improve physician communication skills. Courses, both at the medical school and the residency level, need to incorporate this information to develop evidence based interventions. The point of this course is to ensure that medical educators both understand this data, and have the practical skills needed to design and teach communication courses.

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MEDEDU 2300 : Teaching in the Primary Care Setting (1.0 credits)
This course is designed for those educators that work in outpatient and nontraditional (i.e. non-hospital) settings. The course covers topics such as use of screening tools, dealing with uncertainty, and caring for patients outside of an outside setting. Methods of instruction will include didactics, role-play and video vignettes.
MEDEDU 2310 : Teaching in an Interdisciplinary Setting (2.0 credits)
Teamwork and inter-professional communication has been identified as an important skill. This course is designed to help health professionals and specifically physicians to think outside of the box about teaching in a healthcare setting by including multiple members of a team. Individual sessions will be led by different team members ( e.g. physical therapy, nursing, social work etc.) and are designed to talk about creating teams, teaching within a team setting, and using teams to teach. Topics covered will include communication among healthcare professionals, defining the team leader, and conflict in teams as well as other areas. A final project on team teaching will be required. This course is required for the Area of Concentration in Geriatrics for the CETP.

PHARMACY

PHARM 2001 : Pharmaceutical Analysis (3.0 credits)
Current methods utilized in pharmaceutical research for the analysis and isolation of drugs and their metabolities. Theories of extraction, solvent partition and forms of chromatography (absorption, partition, gas, liquid, counter current, ion exchange, gel-filtration and electrophoresis)are discussed.
PHARM 3027 : Interactions of Drug and Disease: Kinetic and Dynamic Issues (1-2 credits)
Course involves a discussion of current topics of interest in the area of pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism.

PSYCHOLOGY

PSY 2252 : Psychological Therapies: Behavioral Medicine Interventions (2.0 credits)
This graduate course examines history and current status of psychological therapies designed for health risk prevention and management of physical diseases. Areas emphasize are risk factor modification, sscondary prevention/rehabilitation, coping with medical illness and procedures, and community public health interventions. Critical evaluation of research on these topics will be stressed.
PSY 2502 : Health Fundamentals (3.0 credits)
This is a 3-credit proseminar intended for graduate trainees in biological and health psychology. Key conceptual and methodological issues in several major areas of concentration will be presented and discussed in a seminar format, in the context of current research. Requirements include active class discussion, brief presentations, and several papers involving summary and critique of current issues in each are of concentration. Areas of concentration will include cardiovascular behavioral medicine, psychoneuroimmunology and behavioral oncology, addictions and health behavior, and health cognition.
PSY 2520 : Psychoneuroimmunology (3.0 credits)
This course provides a general background in the new interdisciplinary area of research dealing with effects of physical and psychological stress on the ability of the immune system to withstand illness and disease. Emphasis is on experimental studies which demonstrate ways in which environmental factors alter immunocompetence of animals and humans and on neural and endocrine factors that may mediate such effects. The possible significance of nervous system immune system interactions for development of disease states such as cancer is discussed.
PSY 2530 : Social Psychology and Health (3.0 credits)
A major direction of health psychology is the study of social phenomena in the maintenance of good health, and the development of disease. An example is the effect of suppor from family and friends for coping with stress or with illness, for understanding the nature of one's risk for illness and the development of health beliefs. Topics covered include theory and research on emotion, social comparsion, risk perceptions, adherence to prevention or curative prescription, social support and attribution theory as related to health and illness.
PSY 2532 : Health Judgment and Decision Making (3.0 credits)
This course will focus on the area of health congnition which addresses how thinking and reasoning processes are related to health behavior and illness. It begins with a review of how cognitive processes such a risk perception, cost/benefit analysis, judgmental heuristics, norm perceptions, cognitive dissonance, and control perceptions are related to the adoption of healthy and unhealthy behaviors and the processing of health information. We will also consider the concurrent influence of motivational and affective influences such as defenesiveness. ATtention will be devoted to how people make health-related decisions (such as whether to screen for cancer), how they respond to health communications, and how they mentally represent illness (as well as the extent to which cognitions determine the course and recovery from illness).
PSY 2560 : Human Cardiovascular Psychophysiology (4.0 credits)
Cardiovascular psychophysiology examines the influences of psychological processes on cardiovascular function. The course examines evidence supporting three perspectives on psychological processes related to cardiovascular function; a stress-arousal perspective, an information processing perspective and a metabolic need perspective.
PSY 3245 : Seminar in Addiction (3.0 credits)
Seminar will explore addictive behaviors. The primary focus will be on opiate addiction, alcohol use, tobacco smoking and relevant eating disorders. Focus is on the commonalities and differences among the addictions. A major theme is self-control process in control of addictive behavior. Theoris on physiological and behavioral basis of dependence, advances in treatment and relevant issues will be discussed.