About CRSP
The Clinical Research Scholars Program (CRSP) at the University of Pittsburgh offers an outstanding, multidisciplinary didactic curriculum and the opportunity to pursue individualized, "hands on," advanced training in clinical research. Each Scholar selected will work as the principal investigator in charge of the design and implemention of a clinical or translational research study. Through the mechanisms of support, each Scholar is provided with sufficient resources needed to complete all aspects of the study.
The main objectives of CRSP are to:
- Provide rigorous didactic training that encompasses a broad spectrum of research methodologies, technologies, concepts, and research tools to Scholars with varying levels of prior research experience.
- Immerse Scholars in multidisciplinary research programs and provide training in leadership, management, and team building, thereby fostering effective cross-disciplinary collaboration and team-oriented approaches to research.
- Provide Scholars with multidisciplinary mentoring, career guidance, and experiences in the conduct of clinical research projects from conceptualization to completion.
- Guide Scholars in the development and submission of competitive grant applications and thereby help them secure research funding to enable their success as independent clinical researchers.
Multidisciplinary vs interdisciplinary
As noted in the NIH Roadmap Initiative, a multidisciplinary approach brings together numerous experts from diverse disciplines to collectively address a complex problem, with each expert addressing the issues from the perspective of his or her own discipline. In contrast, an interdisciplinary approach is what results from the melding of two or more disciplines to create a new (interdisciplinary) science. Biophysics, biostatistics, bioinformatics, bioengineering, social neuroscience, and psychoneuroimmunology are just a few examples of existing interdisciplinary sciences.
