This is a competing renewal application for the University of Utah's Clinical Research Curriculum Award (K- 30). The objective of this application is to continue and expand the comprehensive curriculum offered to physicians and other health professionals planning academic careers as clinical investigators. The curriculum is designed to produce individuals who are qualified and competitive for career development awards and junior faculty positions. The curriculum includes core courses and two specific research training tracks. The first is a track focused on The Inherited Basis of Human Disease. The second track is focused on Epidemiology, Health Services Research and Medical Informatics. The proposal includes five specific aims: 1) Strengthen and expand our existing, rigorous didactic program designed to facilitate the professional development of young clinical investigators; 2) Expand and strengthen our program which offers a specific, mentored, intensive research experience under the direct supervision of an accomplished clinical investigator; 3) Expand and strengthen our cohesive, integrated program with basic scientist to ensure that trainees are totally conversant with """"""""cutting-edge"""""""" scientific advances; 4) Continue to attract trainees likely to succeed as independent clinical investigators, provide them with sufficient time to mature in a collegial environment and to prepare competitive candidates for K-series awards or similar mentored clinical scientist awards; 5) Strengthen and expand our efforts to continuously evaluate the program, its component parts and its didactic courses. The proposal takes advantage of strengths in genetics and medical informatics at the University of Utah. The clinical research projects will utilize the General Clinical Research Center and laboratory facilities and computerized research facilities associated with selected mentors and specialized research centers. The didactic portion of the course covers subjects including: epidemiology, biostatistics, bioethical issues, human genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, utilization of animal models, data management, clinical trials, health services research, decision analysis, meta analysis, regression models and survey methods.
