This is a competing renewal apptication 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 tophysicians and other health professionals planning academic careers as clinical investigators. Thecurriculum is designed to produced individuals who are qualified and competitive for career developmentawards and junior faculty positions. The curriculum includes core courses and two specific research trainingtracks. The first is a track focused on The Inherited Basis of Human Disease. The second track is focusedon Epidemiology, Health Services Research and Medical Informatics.The proposal includes five specific aims: 1) Strengthen and expand our existing, rigorous didactic programdesigned to facilitate the professional development of young clinical investigators; 2) Expand and strengthenour program which offers a specific, mentored, intensive research experience under the direct supervision ofan accomplished clinical investigator; 3) Expand and strengthen our cohesive, integrated program with basicscientist to ensure that trainees are totally conversant with 'cutting-edge' scientific advances; 4) Continue toattract trainees likely to succeed as independent clinical investigators, provide them with sufficient time tomature in a collegial environment and to prepare competitive candidates for K-series awards or similarmentored clinical scientist awards; 5) Strengthen and expand our efforts to continuously evaluate theprogram, 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 andcomputerized research facilities associated with selected mentors and specialized research centers. Thedidactic portion of the course covers subjects including: epidemiology, biostatistics, bioethical issues, humangenetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, utilization of animal models, data management, clinical trials,health services research, decision analysis, meta analysis, regression models and survey methods.
