This training program will address the national shortage of skilled clinical intervention researchers in mood disorders. This application requests support for a three-year postdoctoral training program (2 fellows per year) in clinical intervention studies in mood disorders (e.g., bipolar or unipolar disorder) across the lifespan (juvenile, adult, geriatric mood disorders). The program is open to psychiatrists who have completed adult residency requirements or clinical psychologists who have been awarded their Ph.D. The program has three components: a core curriculum including didactic and workshop formats, three required supervised clinical research rotations that include research on juveniles or adults with bipolar or unipolar disorders, and a mentored multiyear experience designed to assist trainees in developing and implementing an independent clinical research project, which will lead to an application for independent research funding at the conclusion of this training program (e.g., K Award, R-01). The faculty has many years of experience in conducting research together, and in training students and fellows. The core training faculty has established track records in the study of a wide array of interventions including ECT, cognitive therapy, acupuncture, hypericum, antidepressant medications, and the combination of medications and psychotherapy. They are experienced in the conduct of early open label trials, single and multi site randomized trials, as well as in conducting efficacy and effectiveness trials in patients of all ages. Optional research training experiences are available (based on fellow desire) in intervention research in mood disorders associated with general medical, cognitive, and substance abuse disorders. This program will provide a formal training program with predictable support, and will provide trainees with knowledge and experience in the proper conduct of clinical intervention research, ethics, human subjects issues, consent procedures, clinical measurement of symptoms, function, quality of life, healthcare costs, as well as in research design, statistical analytic approaches, and preparation of peer-reviewed articles and research grant applications. This application also includes set-aside support for five minority medical student summer stipends to engage minority students between MSl and MSll years in clinical intervention research with core faculty, to address the national shortage of this group of investigators. ? ?
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