Course Listings

ICRE Course Term Schedules

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 140 William Pitt Union.

"The MS in Clinical Research gave me the chance to learn essential skills in data analysis, statistics, epidemiology, and clinical trial design from leading experts, all presented in a format that made it both enjoyable and relevant to my research interests."

- Anthony Lewis, MD, MS
General Surgery Resident (PGY-5), University of Pittsburgh
2017 Master of Science in Clinical Research Graduate


Course List and Course Descriptions

Clinical Research Courses

CLRES 2005: Computer Methods in Clinical Research
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer; Held in person
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2010: Clinical Research Methods
3.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer; Held in person
Clinical research methods provides an overview of the basic research strategies, methods, and goals of clinical research. Topics include study design, data analysis and interpretation, and determination of appropriate methodologies to answer different research questions. Bias and confounding in observational research, the clinical value of diagnostic tests, appropriate use of cross-sectional, case control and cohort study designs, and various statistical modeling used in clinical research will be presented.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2011: Advanced Observational Epidemiological Methods
1.0 credit(s); Offered during the Fall in even years;
This course is designed to introduce students to advanced observational study design and analysis and to provide students with tools and resources to carry out independent research using observational study design. Lectures will focus on case-control, cohort, case-cohort, nested case-control, and case-crossover design and methods. We will discuss recent manuscripts and apply statistical concepts in hands-on computer sessions to aid in the learning of concepts covered in class. The following goals are proposed to teach investigators to: 1.Critically evaluate literature using case-control, cohort, case-cohort, nested case-control and case-crossover design. 2.Understand and address concepts of study design, bias, matching, stratification, propensity score matching, and inverse probability weighting. 3.Identify methods for handling missing data, rare outcomes and count data. 4.Understand modern techniques for addressing confounding, mediation, and effect modification. 5.Conduct and interpret results from appropriate statistics using Stata.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2021, CLRES 2022

CLRES 2020: Biostatistics
4.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer; Held in person
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005

CLRES 2021: Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Regression
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005; CLRES 2020

CLRES 2022: Logistic Regression
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005; CLRES 2020; CLRES 2021

CLRES 2023: Survival Analysis
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005; CLRES 2020; CLRES 2021; CLRES 2022

CLRES 2026: Analysis of Correlated Data
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005; CLRES 2020; CLRES 2021; CLRES 2022

CLRES 2035: Fundamentals of Machine Learning in Clinical Research
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
In this introductory-level course we will cover the main concepts of statistical machine learning, including the theoretical aspect of generalization properties where a model is applied to unseen data, and the practical aspect of applying state-of-the-art models to static and dynamic problems in classification, regression or density estimation. Examples of real-life applications in health and biomedical sciences will be used to illustrate the interest in statistical machine learning.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2021, CLRES 2022

CLRES 2036: Introduction to Causal Inference
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
The course will present an introduction to the concepts and framework in causal inference. In the lectures, causal models will be depicted using directed acyclic graphs (DAG) and defined with nonparametric structural equation models (NPSEM) while target causal parameters will be defined using counterfactuals, principle stratification, and marginal structural models. We will also introduce propensity score modeling, g-computation estimators, and inverse probability weighted estimators. Students will gain practical experience implementing these estimators and learn how to interpret results through in-class discussions and Stata assignments.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2021, CLRES 2022

CLRES 2040: Measurement in Clinical Research
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer; Held in person
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2045: Survey Design and Data Analysis
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall and Spring;
Survey Design and Data Analysis will provide information on the skills and resources needed to design and conduct survey and techniques of analyzing survey data. The skills include identifying and developing specific survey objectives, designing survey studies, sampling respondents, developing reliable and valid self-administered questionnaires, and administering surveys. The techniques of analyzing survey data include both classic methods such as factor analysis and advanced methods such as item response theory. A majority of lectures will focus on survey research, constructing surveys, response set, survey administration methods, questionnaire construction and programming surveys, sampling and power calculation, maximizing response rates, data coding and entry, reliability and validity, survey data analysis, factor analysis and item response theory. The students will be introduced to the internet based survey and the computerized adaptive testing to broaden their scope of the current survey design and collection. I will use manuscripts of survey data and protocols of completed studies to facilitate learning of concepts discussed in class.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2040

CLRES 2050: Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research - HYBRID*
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
It's far too easy to relegate egregious ethical violations to the past. We reassure ourselves these could never happen now. After all, we have IRBs and rules and regulations we have to follow when conducting research on human subjects and animals. IRBs, and those rules and regulations, like the Belmont Report and the Declaration of Helsinki, are important, helpful, and a good start, but researchers need more. Many of the problems researchers will face during their careers will not be black and white, and it's really important to learn to navigate through the shades of gray. In this hybrid* course, we will read important foundational texts and a work of fiction, and we'll engage with case studies. You'll interact with fellow course participants on discussion boards, and submit written answers to questions taken from the readings. This course presents an in-depth examination of ethical issues in the conduct of clinical research. Topics include issues related to privacy, confidentiality, protection of human and animal subjects, informed consent and the role of the IRB in ensuring the responsible conduct of research.

*NOTE: This is a hybrid course. The majority of the course is conducted asynchronously online; however, students MUST attend in person on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, from 11 am – 12:30 pm in Oakland. Students geographically located outside of Pennsylvania may request an exemption. An exemption would mean the course would no longer meet the NIH Responsible Conduct of Research requirement for 8 hours of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training for that student.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2071: Advanced Grant Writing Part I
3.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
The purpose of the integrated methods course is to build on the skills learned in the methodological core 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. Mentor must be identified prior to enrollment.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005; CLRES 2010; CLRES 2020; CLRES 2040

CLRES 2072: Advanced Grant Writing Part II
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
The purpose of the integrated methods course is to build on the skills learned in the methodological core 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. (Mentor must be identified prior to enrollment.)

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005; CLRES 2010; CLRES 2020; CLRES 2040; CLRES 2071

CLRES 2075: Seminar For Understanding Principles and Practices of Research Techniques (SUPPORT)
0.5 credit(s); Offered every Fall and Spring;
The SUPPORT Seminar is a mandatory twice-monthly series for medical students in the Clinical Scientist Training Program. The purpose of SUPPORT is to provide a forum for medical students to learn about careers in clinical investigation, to present their research in oral and written form, to explore case studies in the responsible conduct of research and the ethics and regulation of human subjects research, and to consecutively peer review colleagues' research products.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2076: Introduction to Grant Writing
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
Obtaining peer-reviewed grant support is one of the most critical determinants to academic and career success, yet the process is highly challenging. Through select readings and podcasts, the writing of a draft grant application to request funds from one of the many seed programs available to Pitt students and faculty, and class discussions led by a long-time NIH-funded clinical investigator, Introduction to Grant Writing CLRES 2076 will provide CEED trainees, clinical fellows, post-doctoral students, and junior faculty without any prior grant writing experience with useful knowledge, insights, and skills in the grant writing process to improve their chances of later funding and subsequent career success. Please note that this course is NOT INTENDED for Master's Degree students.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2077: Strategic Leadership in Academic Medicine
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
Health care professionals regularly occupy leadership roles in research, educational, and clinical arenas, and leadership opportunities abound in academic settings. Yet clinicians have been described as “accidental administrators,” lacking training in skills necessary to be an effective to leader. Given the current challenges facing healthcare, increasing reliance on interdisciplinary teams to provide care, and greater emphasis on cost control and quality improvement, the need for clinicians to develop effective leadership skills is paramount. This course is designed for clinician-educators and researchers who want to understand the basics of leadership and management. Through selected readings, this course will develop participants’ leadership skills across a variety of domains. Topics covered include understanding how academic medical centers function and how to set team culture, run a meeting, manage time, lead across difference, and create/maintain a five year plan. At the completion of the course, trainees will understanding of the basic principles of leadership and management in the context of academic medicine. *Please note in previous terms, this course was titled “Managing Your Career in Clinical & Translational Science” and “Strategic Leadership”.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2080: Master's Thesis Research
1.0-3.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
Trainees may register for this course with approval from the mentor and selected faculty of the Degree Granting Programs in Clinical Research Curriculum Committee. The course is designed for trainees who are prepared to undertake their thesis or substantive research project.
Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2085: Directed Research/Independent Study in Clinical Research
1.0-3.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
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.

Click here for CLRES 2085 Independent Study Form.

Click here for CLRES 2085 T1 Translational Independent Study Syllabus and Form.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2086: Clinical Research Teaching Practicum
0.5-3.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
The objective of this teaching practicum is to provide students then opportunity to design and/or implement a curriculum. This practicum involves curriculum development and implementation (i.e., instruction). Each year the course directors will assess whether substantive curriculum development/refinement is necessary prior to instruction.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2106: Asking and Answering Questions Using Healthcare Data
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
This course will allow students to explore the use of different data sources for clinical and health services research. Students will gain an understanding of different data sources, ranging from patient registries to large administrative datasets, and will compare the strengths and weaknesses of each type of data in answering different research questions. We will discuss the use of data with both identifiable and de-identified data, including related ethical issues. We will review at a broad level different considerations when analyzing diverse datasets. We will use case studies to facilitate the learning of concepts discussed in class. *Please note in previous terms, this course was titled "CLRES 2108: Patient Registries and Electronic Health Records in CER."

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2107: Comparative Effectiveness Research and PCOR
2.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
This course will define Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) and Patient-centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) and highlight the history and current national efforts in promoting CER/PCOR for drugs, devices and other interventions. The curriculum will include topics on the conceptualization, outcome measurements, engagement of patients and stakeholders, study designs, and analysis methods used in CER/PCOR studies. The course is project based and students learn how to define their own CER/PCOR research question and design a research project to answer the question.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2120: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Health Care
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall and Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2121: Clinical Decision Analysis
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall and Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2122: Computer Methods in Decision and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall and Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2120; CLRES 2121

CLRES 2124: Directed Study in Decision and Cost-Effectiveness Analyses
1.0-3.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
There are no formal class meetings. Each student will meet independently with his or her chosen faculty member and will 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 1–2 weeks during the duration of the course.
Prerequisites: CLRES 2120; CLRES 2121; CLRES 2122

CLRES 2140: Best Practices in Clinical Research
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2141: Scientific Writing and Presentation Skills
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.
*Please note in previous terms, this course was titled "Medical Writing and Presentation Skills."

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2141: Scientific Writing and Presentation Skills (Online, Asynchronous)
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
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 manuscripts. The main objective of this fully online, asynchronous course is to help students develop excellent scientific writing and presentation skills. This objective will be achieved through a combination of videos, readings, individual assignments, and team projects in which students will practice specific skills. Students will craft an abstract, write a discussion section of a manuscript, practice methods of disseminating their science to the lay public, create a poster, construct a table or figure, and develop a PowerPoint presentation and record themselves delivering a 10-minute talk.
*Please note in previous terms, this course was titled "Medical Writing and Presentation Skills."

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2155: Medical Product Ideation
3.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
This course provides ideation tools and methods utilized by the medical device industry at the “fuzzy front end” of new product development. The course focuses on discovering and documenting clinical needs through structured observation techniques. Student teams will use these techniques in a classroom setting to (1) develop and document clear statements of clinical needs and requirements, (2) apply innovation tools used in the industry to develop and document technology-based solutions. Clinical faculty will be invited to discuss potential projects with students, who will then have an opportunity to observe in the clinic and apply new skills to real-world problems. Students will have the opportunity to work in teams with a “clinical mentor” on a project requiring the application of novel technology. To achieve these objectives, the course will employ a combination of lectures and “hands-on” exercises using the tools and methods. The class will be divided into teams to encourage a manageable “learn by doing” environment, similar to project teams normally found in industry. The course will be of interest to students planning careers in the medical device new products industry in a technical or managerial capacity. The course will also be of interest to industry practitioners who wish to enhance their skills in medical product concept generation, requirements definition, and the business aspects of new products for the clinical environment. In addition, the course should be of interest PhD students or researchers who wish to understand the needs of clinical practitioners, medical industry stakeholders, and others involved in the design, manufacture, and commercialization of medical products.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2156: Medical Product Development
3.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
The objective of the Medical Product Development course is to provide a framework for students to apply their understanding of commercialization strategies taught through lectures, workshops, supplementary readings, and team projects. Students will develop strategies that address quality & regulatory, design controls, human factors engineering, reimbursement, systems engineering, IP, marketing, and manufacturing. The course will provide the student with a working knowledge of the primary standards and processes used by professionals to develop, launch, and support medical products. A focused team project will provide a framework for the application of your learning about medical product development strategies, tools, requirements, and processes. Without such a project application, the material may become too dry and abstract to maintain interest and enthusiasm, no matter how important or relevant. It is expected that each team project will still result in a white paper and a presentation demonstrating mastery of the subject matter.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2155

CLRES 2170: Making the Most of Mentoring
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2200: Introduction to Research on Disparities in Health Care
2.0 credit(s); Offered during the Fall in even years;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2215: Foundations of Implementation Science Part I
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
This two-part course presents a survey of the field of Implementation Science with a specific focus on improving health care. In the first part, we focus on terminology, theories, and frameworks. These basic concepts will provide the building blocks for learners to apply theories and frameworks to their own intervention development and implementation work. In this portion of the course, learners will be exposed to short presentations by Implementation Science researchers on campus, to provide an appreciation of real-life applications of the theories as they learn them. This part of the course will emphasize theory, the translational research continuum, and proposal development.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2216: Foundations of Implementation Science: Bedsides to Health Systems Part II
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
This is the 2nd installment of a two-part course presenting a survey of the field of implementation science with a specific focus on healthcare practice and innovation. In this second course, we will expand on the content covered in Part 1 but have a greater focus on applied implementation, with lectures on specific implementation science research methods and concepts, such as organizational and systems-level change strategies, community engagement, and hybrid trial designs. An emphasis on mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods approaches will be featured throughout the course. Guest lecturers will present relevant examples from their own work of research programs in implementation science as well as real-world examples of implementation strategies in the healthcare setting. The course also provides practical guidance on grant writing and advice on how to get implementation science grant applications funded.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2217: Advanced Topics in Implementation Science
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
This is the 3rd course in the Implementation Science track and requires completion of CLRES 2215 and 2216 – Foundations of Implementation Sciences: Bedsides to Health Systems Parts I and II. The purpose of this third course is to provide an interactive experience for students to learn and apply foundational theories underlying the pragmatic methods, outcomes, and strategies employed in implementation research and practice across diverse health disciplines. Specifically, the course will engage students in the fundamental theoretical concepts, constructs, models, and frameworks essential for translating research into practice through a flipped classroom environment that emphasizes student teach-backs of course readings, interactive discussions, and group-based application of content through a case-study that will provide an opportunity for groups to assess a research-to-practice gap and develop a theory-based implementation intervention and evaluation plan based on effective individual- and organizational-change concepts. Guest lectures and brief didactic presentations by course instructors will provide real world examples of how theories are employed in medical and public health practice.
Prerequisites: CLRES 2215, CLRES 2216

CLRES 2220: Applying Quality Improvement Methods in the Clinical Context
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
Over the course of eight 2hr sessions, we aim to build knowledge of basic quality improvement (QI) concepts and apply QI methods to the clinical setting, to facilitate an integration of the front-line perspective into translating research into practice. More specifically, this includes problem definition and contextual inquiry concepts and tools, including process mapping, value stream modeling, selection of measures, Pareto analysis, understanding of variability of quality measures, and design of sustainable interventions. This content will be interwoven with concepts of healthcare workplace culture, leadership, and health system science, such as Just Culture and human factors engineering, which in turn facilitate stakeholder engagement in the improvement process and lead to successful and sustainable interventions.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2300: Introduction to Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005; CLRES 2020

CLRES 2320: Clinical Trials Practicum
2.0-3.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
The purpose of the clinical trials practicum is for trainees (fellows and junior faculty) who are (or want to be) involved with a clinical trial 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 planning a clinical trial, conducting a clinical trial, or have conducted a clinical trial. 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 expected to provide an outline of readings relevant for the practicum objectives and at the end of the practicum provide summaries of their experiences and reading materials. They may also receive credit by taking a specific question and analyzing a dataset 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. Please see the link below for the NIH's definition of clinical trials: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/tree_glossary.pdf. (Prerequisites: CLRES 2800, CLRES 2810, and CLRES 2820 or instructor permission)

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2800; CLRES 2810; CLRES 2820

CLRES 2400: Qualitative Research Methods I: Theory and Design
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
What are the study designs, data collection methods, analytical approaches, and theoretical frameworks used by qualitative researchers? How should the quality and rigor of qualitative research be assessed? In this course, we will analyze a range of qualitative studies and discuss principles that should guide the selection of qualitative research strategies (e.g., sampling, data collection methods, analytical approaches, theoretical models). By the end of the course, you will be equipped to review a qualitative manuscript, respond to reviewer comments, and work effectively with qualitative methodologists. This course provides necessary background for students new to qualitative research and prepares students for Qualitative Research Methods II (CLRES 2401), which offers hands-on practice using qualitative methods.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2401: Qualitative Research Methods II: Applications
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
In this course, you will develop and hone the skills of a qualitative researcher by engaging in hands-on practice and systematic reflection. You will work collaboratively to design a qualitative research study, create an interview guide, conduct and transcribe interviews, develop a codebook, and conduct thematic analysis. Finally, you will learn how to write a thorough and compelling methodology section for a grant or manuscript. Along the way, we will discuss the basics of focus group methodology and mixed methods design. By the end of the course, you will be prepared to design and conduct a simple qualitative research project of your own.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2400 or comparable prior qualitative training

CLRES 2430: Introduction to Community Based Participatory Research
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
This course is organized around themes central to the conceptualization and implementation of community-based participatory research and practice (CBPRP). The goal of this course is to familiarize students with community-based participatory research and practice. Students will become conversant in seminal community-based participatory research and practice literature. Discussion, interactive learning exercises and examples of current research will be used to provide an understanding of CBPRP and the associated strengths and limitations.

Click here for course syllabus.

CLRES 2431: Translating Research for Policy and Practice
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
This course provides an introduction to concepts and skills in knowledge translation (a coordinated, collaborative approach to ensure that research findings are utilized by key stakeholders) and to the role of research in changing policy and practice at local, regional, and national levels. This module will build on concepts in Community-Partnered Research introduced in CLRES 2430. This skills-based module will introduce learners to theoretical concepts in knowledge translation (KT), dissemination and implementation science, and apply these concepts to practical exercises to translate research findings for relevance to other key stakeholders, including community partners, program developers, and policy makers. One session will be devoted specifically to skills building in legislative and media advocacy. The goal of this course is to familiarize learners with the critically important steps involved in translating research findings for relevance to stakeholders beyond academia. Discussion, interactive learning exercises, and examples of research dissemination and implementation science will be used to provide a foundation in KT as an aspect of community-partnered research.

Click here for course syllabus.

CLRES 2432: Concept Mapping: A Participatory Research Method
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
This course provides hands-on training in the participatory research method known as concept mapping (CM). CM gives community members and other stakeholders a unique chance to have their own words communicate ideas and concepts. Research participants contribute directly in the processing of this information as it directly relates to their community and intervention needs. The goal of the course is to familiarize students with example applications of the research method and to provide training related to concept mapping data collection and analysis. Discussion interactive learning exercises, and examples of current research will be used to provide an understanding of CBPR and the associated strengths and limitations.

Click here for course syllabus.

CLRES 2600: Social Networks and Health
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
This course is an introduction to the theory, methods, and procedures of network analysis with emphasis on applications to health and social behavior. The goal of the course is to provide a working knowledge of concepts and methods used to describe and analyze social networks so that professionals and researchers can understand the results and implications of this body of research. The course also provides the training necessary for scholars to conduct network analysis in their own research and practice careers.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2601: Principles and Practices in Palliative Care Part I
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2602: Principles and Practices in Palliative Care Part II
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2601

CLRES 2605: Social Networks and Health II: Computer Methods
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
This course provides hands-on training in social network analysis using 3 different software packages: UCINet, R, and Gephi. It is intended for those students who are interested in conducting their own social network studies using the latest available software. It is a time-intensive lab and project course. Topics to be covered include: -How to use UCINet to conduct intermediate and advanced SNA -How to use R to use custom SNA packages -How to use Gephi to conduct basic SNA and generate descriptive network graphs This course consists of in-class examples using SNA software, designing a network analysis plan in consideration of software features, and a final project. Assignments are designed to build components of a full network study, using specific analytic features from available software, visualizing network(s), and culminating in the final project. Individual projects will use data that can be provided or is collected by the student themselves.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2600

CLRES 2700: Fundamentals of Bench Research
2.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer;
The 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 approaches 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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2725: Translational Research Practicum
1.0-3.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
The major objective of the Translational Research Practicum is to obtain individualized laboratory-based training and acquire proficiency in scientific methodology, experimental design, data presentation, and analysis tailored to achieve pre-defined goals within the scope of the student’s thesis work. The Translational Research Practicum must define a translatable component originating from the laboratory training (i.e., application of laboratory-based methodologies/techniques, gain proficiency with pre-clinical studies) with the ultimate goal of addressing questions pertaining to human studies. This work is usually conducted within the research mentor’s laboratory.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2729: Idea 2 Impact (I2I) - ONLINE
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
This practical course guides academic researchers step by step through the experience of developing an entrepreneurial idea. It is designed for early-career scientists (e.g., MDs, PhDs, fellows, medical students, faculty, post docs) who are new to entrepreneurship and commercialization, but interested in translating research into practical applications. Each week, participants will focus on one discrete stage of the translational process as they identify a problem, analyze stakeholders, define a solution, describe its benefits, research the competition, articulate differentiators, and create an action plan. The course will be taught in an online format, with self-paced, online modules to provide participants with key concepts and information, and class meetings where they present specific deliverables, receive feedback from colleagues, and engage in focused discussion.
Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2731: From Benchtop to Bedside: What Every Scientist Needs to Know
2.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
This 12-week course, commonly known as B2B, is offered by the Innovation Institute, which encourages and supports innovation and entrepreneurship across campus to all faculty, staff and students. More information on B2B can be found on the Innovation Institute website. B2B is designed to give research scientists, clinicians, graduate students, and other interested parties the basic information necessary to assess the business potential of basic science research discoveries. The B2B course will help scientists develop additional focused information, including proof of concept and validation experiments, that increase the value of the technology and reduce the investment risk. B2B will also provide insight into how intellectual property and other differentiators can create a barrier to entry for the competition. The course will cover the fundamentals of investment from the private sector to help finance the climb over regulatory hurdles and meet critical developmental milestones. The course is designed to give graduate students, research scientists, faculty and clinicians the basic information necessary to assess the commercial potential of basic science discoveries.
Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2750: Seminar in Health Systems Leadership
1.5 credit(s); Offered every Fall and Spring;
This course will consist of a series of cased-based examinations of specific managerial and leadership problems and decisions that have faced local health systems leaders in Western Pennsylvania. Health care reimbursement, licensing and accreditation, and measuring health care quality has become both more complicated and more important as pressures to reduce expenses and improve quality increase. Simultaneously, there has been a steady increase in the number of clinicians who have assumed managerial positions, such as medical directors of clinical units, directors of quality measurement and improvement programs, utilization review and many others, as well as the appearance of clinicians in the “C-suite” of many hospitals and health care organizations. Utilizing adjunct faculty who are currently (or very recently have been) executive leaders in health systems, this course will examine a series of collaborations, problems, conflicts and solutions that developed between health system administrators and clinical leadership in health care organizations in the Western PA area. The mechanics of the course will be a series of cases, based on an actual recent issue in health care management in which the senior adjunct faculty member was involved. Students (individually or in groups) will evaluate the case, prepare a response, and make a short presentation of their “solution” to the problem to the health system executive and clinical leader involved in that case. An interactive discussion will follow.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 2800: Fundamentals of Clinical Trials
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005; CLRES 2010; CLRES 2020; CLRES 2021; CLRES 2022

CLRES 2810: Statistical Methods and Issues in Clinical Trials
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005; CLRES 2020; CLRES 2800

CLRES 2820: Special Topics in Clinical Trials
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: CLRES 2005; CLRES 2020; CLRES 2800; CLRES 2810

CLRES 2981: Epidemiology of Aging-Methods
2.0 credit(s); Offered during the Fall in even years;
This course will introduce the methodological aspects of epidemiologic research in the field of aging and to critically evaluate research in older adults. The course will focus on: demography, study design, sampling, recruitment, retention, measurement of key variables and special populations. Students will write a critical review of a published article and comment on proposed future directions for epidemiologic studies addressing these questions in older populations. Throughout the course, a Problem Solving Learning Method will be applied by prompting the students to solve pragmatic issues. Examples include: How to measure a specific outcome? What type of chronic health conditions may be related to the research question? How to operationalize specific measures of interest (e.g.: how to create a composite score for co-morbidity assessment?). The course has been formulated to provide the students with the building blocks of the epidemiological study of aging. By the end of the course, the students will be able to critically evaluate various components of a study to further address the research questions in aging populations.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

CLRES 3010: PhD Independent Study
1.0-6.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
Independent Study provides an opportunity for the student to pursue/research a subject in more depth and in a more independent manner than would be possible in a traditional course. Students completing an Independent Study must identify a sponsor faculty member who will closely work with the student in meeting defined learning objectives and goals.
Prerequisites: None

CLRES 3040: PhD Dissertation Research
1.0-14.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
Dissertation research credits towards PhD in Clinical and Translational Science.
Prerequisites: None

CLRES 3780: Human Factors of Aging
3.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
Research often leads to ideas and findings that can be developed into new medical devices or interventions. One limiting step in the development of these new ideas into action is the incorporation of the human factors components in the design. This is particularly true for devices/interventions meant to be used by older adults. This course provides an introductory understanding of how human factors is used in medical device design with a focus on older adults. The target audience for this course is broad, encompassing anyone that wants to learn how to design, test and evaluate medical devices or interventions used by older adults. This includes investigators (faculty, scientists, post-docs), engineers, and clinicians. The course will be at the graduate level, but general in scope. No pre-requisites are required. The course introduces the concept of human factors as applied to medical devices and interventions. Special emphasis will be on the specific issues associated with older adults. Characteristics of older adults relevant to usability of devices and capabilities in interventions are developed in detail, with numerous examples (successful and unsuccessful) provided. The course considers FDA approval requirements and evaluation methods for specific populations (in this case older adults). Topics relevant to design include within the course include: i. Principles of ethnography and anthropometry ii. Characteristics of older adult users considered in design (e.g. functional abilities, sensory/perception changes with age, cognition, diversity in the older population, cultural and ethnic interactions with age) iii. Ergonomics and aging (strength changes across the body with age, mobility and dexterity in design for older adults) iv. Aging and cognitive change ( e.g. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia) v. Human factors design principles such as user interface design, visual displays, training and instructions, and environmental considerations. vi. Usability testing methods to improve design (task analysis, formative evaluation methods, summative methods, subject choices) vii Regulatory requirements, such as FDA and EU human factors requirements.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MSCMP 3790: Basics of Personalized Medicine
3.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall
Personalized medicine is becoming a reality that is being driven by ongoing discoveries in cell biology, genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. The translational speed of these discoveries, particularly in the diagnostic, prognostic, and theragnostic arenas, is rapid. We believe that in the future personalized medicine diagnostics will involve both physicians and basic scientists. A major obstacle to this approach is the lack of training components for basic scientists in this area. This course aims to close that gap and provide an appreciation for, and understanding of, key principles of clinical development and testing in order to help bridge this gap. The course will be designed to delve into concepts of personalized medicine using focused topic areas. The first week will introduce the principles and overriding concepts of clinical test development, which differ qualitatively from investigational research. Next there will be six 2-week sessions, with each section focusing on a separate testing modality. Topics will include inherited genetic diseases and predisposition's, acquired genetic changes (cancer), metabolomic profiles of endocrine diseases, immune networks for transplant and rejection, proteomic profiling in blood disorders, and proteomic detection of shock and organ failure.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

NROSCI 2014: Speaking of Science
3.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall and Spring
Students will learn strategies for giving presentations about science to both a scientific audience and a public audience. Topics covered will include (1) how to engage your audience, (2) the art of breaking down your message, (3) tips for how to make clear, interesting slides, and (4) pointers on presentation style. All audiences want to learn interesting new scientific information-and have it delivered as a good story in an understandable manner by a personable, easy to approach person. You want to emphasize your message, stay focused, and convey the importance of your message while being interesting, maintaining the attention of the audience and making the learning process enjoyable. Guest speakers will provide background information about various uses of scientific information in the public domain. Communication skills, including knowing your audience and why they are interested in the information you are speaking about, how to translate scientific jargon into understandable concepts for the public, and how to keep the audience engaged will be discussed. Pointers will be given on answering questions, being conversational, and conveying the 'big picture'. Students will give a number of presentations in this course and learn to receive and give feedback effectively.
Prerequisites: None

NROSCI 2410: Translating Science
3.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall and Spring
Students will work in creative teams of 2-3 students/team to develop creative new outreach tools for communication of science to the public (new lectures, laboratories, videos, films, activities). At the beginning of the semester, didactic lectures will cover background information about how to effectively communicate scientific information, how to break down a message, production of effective, engaging slides, animations and videos, and the use of hands-on activities to engage the audience. Course instructors with expertise in film, videos, educational games, and use of museum exhibits will be included. Students will then choose a topic area they wish to create an outreach lecture/video/etc. in, and with the assistance of Dr. Cameron you will choose a scientific adviser with specific expertise on the topic you will develop and outreach tool for. Students will do background reading for the development of their outreach tool and have discussions with their adviser. If developing a lecture, students will develop a set of PowerPoint slides for the lecture, the lecture text with background references, and hands-on activities to compliment the lecture for both a junior high and a high school version of the lecture. They will present the lectures at one of the grade levels it was designed for. For other activities, the activity will be developed along with background information regarding the use of the activity. The activity will be presented to a public group.
Prerequisites: None

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Medical Education Courses

MEDEDU 2005: Computer Methods in Clinical Research
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer; Held in person
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2010: Clinical Research Methods
3.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer; Held in person
Clinical research methods provides an overview of the basic research strategies, methods, and goals of clinical research. Topics include study design, data analysis and interpretation, and determination of appropriate methodologies to answer different research questions. Bias and confounding in observational research, the clinical value of diagnostic tests, appropriate use of cross-sectional, case control and cohort study designs, and various statistical modeling used in clinical research will be presented.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2020: Biostatistics
4.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer; Held in person
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: MEDEDU 2005

MEDEDU 2040: Measurement in Clinical Research
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer; Held in person
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2045: Survey Design and Data Analysis
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall and Spring;
Survey Design and Data Analysis will provide information on the skills and resources needed to design and conduct survey and techniques of analyzing survey data. The skills include identifying and developing specific survey objectives, designing survey studies, sampling respondents, developing reliable and valid self-administered questionnaires, and administering surveys. The techniques of analyzing survey data include both classic methods such as factor analysis and advanced methods such as item response theory. A majority of lectures will focus on survey research, constructing surveys, response set, survey administration methods, questionnaire construction and programming surveys, sampling and power calculation, maximizing response rates, data coding and entry, reliability and validity, survey data analysis, factor analysis and item response theory. The students will be introduced to the internet based survey and the computerized adaptive testing to broaden their scope of the current survey design and collection. I will use manuscripts of survey data and protocols of completed studies to facilitate learning of concepts discussed in class.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: MEDEDU 2040

MEDEDU 2080: Master's Thesis Research
1.0-3.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
Trainees may register for this course with approval from the mentor and selected faculty of the Degree Granting Programs in Medical Education Curriculum Committee. The course is designed for trainees who are prepared to undertake their substantive research project or thesis.
Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2085: Medical Education Independent Study
1.0-2.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
For Master of Science and Certificate in Medical Education students. An independent study is designed by the student to pursue an area of study within medical education that is (1) not covered by other established courses and (2) necessary for a student’s academic development. It cannot be used to replace required or core courses and students must provide a compelling reason for proposing the course of study. The student will complete the independent study form, and the faculty preceptor and Director of Academic Programs must approve it. An independent study project may carry 1-2 graduate credits for Master of Science students and 1 credit for Certificate students, assigned at the Director and Assistant Director of Academic Programs’ discretion based on the proposal.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2100: Enhancing Teaching Skills For the Clinician Educator
2.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2110: Enhancing Research Skills
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
The objective of this course is to expose students to a breath of research designs and methodologies which can be applied to evaluate and explore relevant topics in health sciences education.
Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2111: Fundamentals of Adult Learning in Medical Education Part I
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
At the completion of this course, participants will have demonstrated through class participation and written assignments, 1) knowledge of current research and theory on the adult learner and adult learning as they relate to the practice of adult education, 2) understanding of the theoretical basis of clinical reasoning and concepts of expertise and 3) skill in the selection and use of theoretical foundation of learning as it applies to the context of medical education practice.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2120: Professional Development
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer;
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. This course is open to Medical Education students ONLY.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2125: Assessment of Medical Learners
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
This course will prepare learners to use a wide variety of assessment methods in their educational programs. Specifically, we will address assessing knowledge, clinical performance and technical skills and create questions and cases in class. The theory behind constructing high quality assessments for educational programs will be discussed, and participants will use assessment data to make competency decisions for UGME and GME scenarios.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2130: Curriculum Development
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2131: Strategies for Dealing with the Struggling Learner
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
MEDEDU 2131 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 difficult learners will be presented. The goals for the course are to learn how to identify problem learners; to develop a differential diagnosis of problem learner behavior; to develop strategies for remediation and monitoring remediation; to review strategies for documentation and tracking of problem students; and to review issues of competency and promotion.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2140: Scientific Writing and Presentation Skills
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.
*Please note in previous terms, this course was titled "Medical Writing and Presentation Skills."

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2140: Scientific Writing and Presentation Skills (Online, Asynchronous)
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
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 manuscripts. The main objective of this fully online, asynchronous course is to help students develop excellent scientific writing and presentation skills. This objective will be achieved through a combination of videos, readings, individual assignments, and team projects in which students will practice specific skills. Students will craft an abstract, write a discussion section of a manuscript, practice methods of disseminating their science to the lay public, create a poster, construct a table or figure, and develop a PowerPoint presentation and record themselves delivering a 10-minute talk.
*Please note in previous terms, this course was titled "Medical Writing and Presentation Skills."

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2150: Management of Educational Programs
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
This course provides an overview of how medical schools and residency programs run in regards to accreditation, recruitment, finances, and leadership positions. We will examine forces shaping medical education by reviewing its history, social responsibility, and public accountability. Clinician-educator pathways will be explored – from program director to medical school course director to all the administrative faculty roles possible within UME and GME. The practical aspects of designing, implementing, and sustaining an educational program will be explored. *Please note in previous terms, this course was titled “Medical Education: Current Practice, Administration and Future Directions”.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2160: Current Topics in Teaching and Learning – A Seminar Series
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
The objective of this course is to expose and involve students in current, relevant topics that affect teaching and learning in medical education.

Click here for course syllabus.

Click here for MED ED CONFERENCES.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2170: Making the Most of Mentoring
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2185: Strategic Leadership in Academic Medicine
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
Health care professionals regularly occupy leadership roles in research, educational, and clinical arenas, and leadership opportunities abound in academic settings. Yet clinicians have been described as “accidental administrators,” lacking training in skills necessary to be an effective to leader. Given the current challenges facing healthcare, increasing reliance on interdisciplinary teams to provide care, and greater emphasis on cost control and quality improvement, the need for clinicians to develop effective leadership skills is paramount. This course is designed for clinician-educators and researchers who want to understand the basics of leadership and management. Through selected readings, this course will develop participants’ leadership skills across a variety of domains. Topics covered include understanding how academic medical centers function and how to set team culture, run a meeting, manage time, lead across difference, and create/maintain a five year plan. At the completion of the course, trainees will understanding of the basic principles of leadership and management in the context of academic medicine. *Please note in previous terms, this course was titled “Managing Your Career in Clinical & Translational Science” and “Strategic Leadership”.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2201: Teaching Practicum: Outpatient Teaching
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
This course involves 16 hours of observed outpatient clinical teaching plus feedback and evaluation by teaching preceptor. The student is required to identify a primary preceptor who will be responsible for observation and evaluation of clinical teaching in the outpatient setting. Deliverables include a formal summative evaluation by primary preceptor reviewed with student and a 1-page personal reflection response by student. This course can be completed over several terms and can be registered for only once.
Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2202: Teaching Practicum: Inpatient Teaching
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
This course involves 16 hours of observed patient clinical teaching on inpatient service (including consult services) plus feedback and evaluation by teaching preceptor. Optimally, this observation should be a mix of bedside teaching, work rounds and formal teaching rounds. Deliverables include a formal summative evaluation by primary preceptor reviewed with student and a 1-page personal reflection response by student. This course can be completed over several terms and can be registered for only once.
Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2203: Teaching Practicum: Classroom Teaching
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
This course involves 16 hours of observed nonclinical teaching including but not limited to classroom teaching, lectures, PBL facilitator, student teaching attending. Deliverables include a formal summative evaluation by primary preceptor reviewed with student and a 1-page personal reflection response by student. This course can be completed over several terms and can be registered for only once.
Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2211: Teaching Clinical Reasoning
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer;
This course will reinforce core principles of clinical reasoning while equipping participants with a toolkit of educational strategies they can use to teach and assess this essential clinical skill. The class will be highly interactive with a focus on students implementing these tools in their current practice.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2221: Applying Quality Improvement Methods in the Clinical Context
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
Over the course of eight 2hr sessions, we aim to build knowledge of basic quality improvement (QI) concepts and apply QI methods to the clinical setting, to facilitate an integration of the front-line perspective into translating research into practice. More specifically, this includes problem definition and contextual inquiry concepts and tools, including process mapping, value stream modeling, selection of measures, Pareto analysis, understanding of variability of quality measures, and design of sustainable interventions. This content will be interwoven with concepts of healthcare workplace culture, leadership, and health system science, such as Just Culture and human factors engineering, which in turn facilitate stakeholder engagement in the improvement process and lead to successful and sustainable interventions.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2230: Innovation in Teaching and Learning
2.0 credit(s); Offered during the Spring in even years;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2240: Teaching Cultural Competency for Educators
1.0 credit(s); Offered during the Spring in even years;
Acknowledging the dual responsibilities of healthcare professionals who serve as both practitioners and educators, the course delves into foundational concepts and practical strategies aimed at enhancing cultural competence within educational contexts. Participants will engage in a dynamic learning experience, involving real-world case studies, interactive discussions, and a range of scenario and reflection-based exercises. Educators will not only acquire practical insights into fostering cultural competency among their students but will also integrate these principles into their own patient interactions. Furthermore, participants will come to recognize how cultural competence can enhance patient care, improve health outcomes, and foster inclusive healthcare environments. This course offers a holistic approach to equipping healthcare educators with the tools necessary to navigate the intersection of teaching and clinical practice, contributing to the development of healthcare professionals who are not only skilled in addressing the diverse needs of patients in today's globalized, multicultural, and multilingual healthcare landscape but also embody a profound sense of cultural humility and compassion in their practice and teaching. *Please note in previous terms, this course was titled "Cultural Competence".

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2250: Teaching Communication Skills
2.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2260: Current Topics in Medical Education Research – A Seminar Series
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
The objective of this course is to expose students to 1) medical education research methodology that can be applied to their own work and 2) the variety of medical education research that is taking place across UPSOM.

Click here for course syllabus.

Click here for MED ED CONFERENCES.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2325: Fundamentals of Adult Learning Part II
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
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.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: MEDEDU 2111

MEDEDU 2360: Current Topics in Teaching, Learning, and Health Sciences Research
1.0-2.0 credit(s); Offered every Summer, Fall, and Spring;
The objective of this course is to expose students to 1) current, relevant topics, that effect, teaching and learning and health sciences and 2) models for health sciences education research methodology that can be applied to their own.

Click here for MED ED CONFERENCES.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2400: Qualitative Research Methods I: Theory and Design
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Fall;
What are the study designs, data collection methods, analytical approaches, and theoretical frameworks used by qualitative researchers? How should the quality and rigor of qualitative research be assessed? In this course, we will analyze a range of qualitative studies and discuss principles that should guide the selection of qualitative research strategies (e.g., sampling, data collection methods, analytical approaches, theoretical models). By the end of the course, you will be equipped to review a qualitative manuscript, respond to reviewer comments, and work effectively with qualitative methodologists. This course provides necessary background for students new to qualitative research and prepares students for Qualitative Research Methods II (CLRES 2401), which offers hands-on practice using qualitative methods.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: None

MEDEDU 2401: Qualitative Research Methods II: Applications
1.0 credit(s); Offered every Spring;
In this course, you will develop and hone the skills of a qualitative researcher by engaging in hands-on practice and systematic reflection. You will work collaboratively to design a qualitative research study, create an interview guide, conduct and transcribe interviews, develop a codebook, and conduct thematic analysis. Finally, you will learn how to write a thorough and compelling methodology section for a grant or manuscript. Along the way, we will discuss the basics of focus group methodology and mixed methods design. By the end of the course, you will be prepared to design and conduct a simple qualitative research project of your own.

Click here for course syllabus.

Prerequisites: MEDEDU 2400 or comparable prior qualitative training

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Externships, Practica, and Short Courses

ICRE students at all stages of their careers, in all programs, are encouraged to investigate these training opportunities offered through agencies, universities, and corporations.

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Other Courses at the University of Pittsburgh

ICRE students have the option to enroll in graduate-level courses offered in other departments at Pitt. ICRE students have taken courses in the following schools and departments:

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Institute for Clinical Research Education
200 Meyran Avenue, Suite 300
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

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