The overarching goal of the University of Cincinnati (UC) Clinical Research Curriculum Award (CRCA) application is to improve the quality of training in clinical research at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and the Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In preparation for this application, we conducted a needs survey of all major training programs in the three medical centers. Our survey showed that the demand for structured didactic clinical research coursework at the three medical centers is large, but many relevant courses and tracks either do not exist or are offered at times inconvenient to clinical trainees. Fellowship and program directors indicated that - if the CRCA were implemented - each year, approximately 50 trainees would """"""""definitely"""""""" or """"""""likely"""""""" participate. Thus, the UC CRCA application, to be directed by Joel Tsevat, MD, MPH in collaboration with Stephen Daniels, MD, PhD and colleagues from the three medical centers has two specific aims: 1) To develop or expand new program tracks in Epidemiology (Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Effectiveness and Molecular Epidemiology) and Clinical Therapeutics (Clinical Trials and Translational Research). To accomplish this aim, we will develop new courses over the first 3 years of the CRCA, building on the existing epidemiology and biostatistics curriculum. 2) To increase methodological expertise in all core areas of clinical research and to foster crossfertilization among all trainees, Aim 2 will institute a set of four summer courses required by all trainees - Introduction to Clinical Epidemiology, Introduction to Biostatistics, Molecular Epidemiology: The Use of Biomarkers in Epidemiologic Research, and Ethics in Research (Responsible Conduct of Research) - and one new required monthly seminar, to be called the Clinical Research Scholars Seminar. Coupled with the very strong financial support and enthusiasm of the leadership of the University, we anticipate that the CRCA will have a huge impact on clinical research training in Cincinnati.
