Contemporary training in clinical research requires significant formal coursework to provide broad, rigorous training inresearch methods as well as the opportunity for a closely mentored research experience. We propose the continuation o1the Boston University Clinical Research Training (CREST) program, a two year training program for MD's and otherdoctorally trained health professionals interested in clinical research careers which includes four components: 1) aMaster's degree for which trainees will have the option of any one of three Master's degree programs, each of whichrequire basic epidemiology and biostatistics courses.; 2) a bi-weekly seminar, which covers important clinical researchtopics not covered by courses and provides a forum for trainee research presentations, 3) a two-year closely-mentoredclinical research project at the conclusion of which trainees will be expected to present and submit at least onemanuscript based on their research and 4) a mentoring program consisting of at least a career mentor provided throughCREST and a research mentor along with CREST program seminars and breakfasts on mentoring. At the end of theirtraining program, Boston University CREST trainees will possess both the sufficient didactic training background andpractical research experience to become independently funded clinical investigators. The program is based at BostonUniversity Medical Campus, which consists of the School of Medicine, the School of Public Health, the School ofDental Medicine, Boston Medical Center and the Boston and Bedford Veteran's Administration Medical Centers. In thefirst cycle, the program was successfully created, has attracted increasing numbers of fellows and has shown success inmeeting stated goals of placing graduates in academic positions in clinical investigation with seven of the first eightgraduates holding jobs as full time academic faculty engaged in clincal research. We will plan to recruit 13-14 fellows per year. Enhancements to the program in this renewal application include theinauguration of the following: 1. an IRB internship to be required of all fellows, 2. a grant writing workshop for all second year fellows 3. a seminar focused on translational medicine 4. a research resource infrastructure for fellows with a statisitician and project manager made available 5. the progression of the evaluation of the CREST program to a fully integrated evaluation plan with involvement of an evaluation professional to CREST staff. In addition to evaluation of the main program targeted to fellows. we will also formally evaluate a part of the CREST program targeted to medical residents.
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