Education and Training
Our approach to developing a training program for each Scholar is that training must be customized to the individual needs of each Scholar. The CRSP Directors work with the Multidisciplinary Advisory Committee, the mentoring team, and Scholars to develop an educational program that is uniquely tailored to meet the needs and goals of each Scholar while ensuring that all Scholars have the mastery of a core set of skills needed for multidisciplinary clinical research careers.
Through the Institute for Clinical Research Education, we have developed a core didactic training that is taught by a multidisciplinary faculty and provides excellent training in a diverse set of fundamental skills in multidisciplinary clinical research. To respond to the needs of the Scholars, the MAC reviews each Scholar's previous training and, where appropriate, substitutes advanced courses or courses in additional areas to strengthen the Scholar's training.
Scholars attend a weekly Forum where they discuss issues with other Scholars and the leadership. Workshops on specific topics are presented to the Scholars to help them with their career development. These forums also explore issues related to investigators' responsibilities in clinical research, such as patient safety, protection of human subjects, compliance with regulatory requirements, and interactions with granting agencies and industry.
The Scholar, along with MAC members, their mentors, and Program Director develop an Individualized Advanced Training plan for each Scholar. Additional training often involves advanced clinical research methodology, learning about areas that are relevant to a Scholar's interest but are not part of the core, basic science courses if the Scholar is interested in translational research, and courses in other disciplines that are critical to the Scholar's research endeavors and future concentration.
A Writing Group for Scholars is offered to help them develop their publication record.and refine their writing. Scholars meet regularly with their group to review and critique each other's works. Biostatisticians and Epidemilogists are available to review manuscripts and grants as well.
A seminar on leadership, team building and innovation is included in the training of the Scholars. The objectives of the series are cross functional team building and team problem solving; successfully completing work efforts within the constraints of time, cost, and quality; and managing innovation.
We have recently developed a process for CRSP scholars to request a mock review for any grant application being submitted for external funding. The goal of the mock review process is to provide the scholars with objective critiques from several senior-level faculty reviewers with NIH review experience. We anticipate this program will enhance the abilities of our scholars to obtain funding by refining their grantsmanship skills and improving the science and designs of their proposed studies.
