TPCR: About the Program

This collaborative training program between the NIH Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center and the Duke University School of Medicine meets an existing need at NIH for formalized academic training in the quantitative and methodological principles of clinical research. Designed primarily for clinical fellows and other health professionals who are training for careers in clinical research, the program offers formal courses in research design, research management and statistical analysis. Courses for this program are offered at the Clinical Center by means of video-conferencing from Duke or on site by adjunct faculty.
The degree option leads to a Master of Health Sciences in Clinical Research, a professional degree awarded by the School of Medicine at Duke University. The degree requires 24 credits of graded course work plus a research project for which 12 units of credit are given. The program is designed for part-time study, which allows the fellow/student to integrate the program's academic training with his or her clinical training.

Section 4107(a) of title 5 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) (1997) prohibits the training of federal employees to obtain an academic degree in order to qualify for appointment to a particular position or for the sole purpose of providing an opportunity to an employee to obtain one or more academic degrees. See subsection 410.308(a) of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) (1997).

The courses in the program are available to qualified individuals who want to acquire specific skills but who do not want to pursue the master's degree. This option allows the flexibility of taking various combinations of courses subject only to constraints imposed by course prerequisites.

Tuition for the 2002-2003 academic year is $480 per unit, with partial tuition waivers for some courses. Prospective participants should consult with their institute or center regarding the official training nomination procedure.

The training program is offered by the faculty of the School of Medicine at Duke University with the participation of NIH investigators having expertise in relevant areas.

All persons wishing to take courses in the Training Program in Clinical Research, even on a non-degree basis, must be admitted to the program. An advanced degree in a clinical health science (or two years of medical school) from an accredited institution is a prerequisite for admission either as a degree candidate or as a non-degree student.
A student seeking admission to the Training Program in Clinical Research should obtain an application packet which contains the necessary forms and detailed instructions on how to apply. Application forms may be obtained from the NIH Office of Education in Building 10, Room B1L403. E-mail queries regarding the program may be addressed to tpcr@mc.duke.edu. A complete application for admission, either as a degree candidate or as a non-degree student, consists of the application form and the following supporting documents: (1) a current CV; (2) an official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended; (3) three letters of evaluation written by persons qualified to testify to the applicant's capacity for graduate work.

The degree requires 24 credits of graded course work and a research project for which 12 units of credit are given. Five courses (241, 242, 245, 246 and 247) constitute 18 credits that are required for all degree candidates (see Course Descriptions). The student's clinical research activities provide the setting and the data for the project, which serves to demonstrate the student's competence in the use of quantitative methods in clinical research.

Three faculty members constitute an examining committee to certify that the student has successfully completed the research project requirement for the degree. The committee must include a clinical investigator and a statistician, both of whom are on the faculty of Duke's Clinical Research Training Program (CRTP). The third member of the committee should be a faculty member who has substantive knowledge in the area in which the clinical research project is conducted; for clinical fellows, this committee member is often the student's mentor. The chair of the committee must be a member of the CRTP faculty

Grades in the Training Program in Clinical Research consist of H (High Pass), P (Pass), L (Low Pass) and F (Fail). In addition, an I (Incomplete) indicates that some portion of the student's work is lacking for a reason acceptable to the instructor at the time grades are reported. Students will not be permitted to enroll in any course for which they have an unresolved I in a prerequisite course. In any case, a grade of I must be resolved no later than the end of the following academic semester unless the Course Director specifies an earlier date by which the student must make up the deficiency. In exceptional circumstances, an Incomplete that is not resolved within the designated period may be extended for a specified period with the written approval of the Course Director and the Program Director. If an Incomplete is not resolved within the approved period, the grade of I becomes permanent and may not be removed from the student's record.
A student's enrollment as a degree candidate is terminated if he or she receives a single grade of F or two grades of L in the program. For these purposes, both WF (see below) and a permanent I are both considered to be failing grades.

A course may be dropped at the student's discretion during the first three weeks of class; no grade is recorded and all tuition is refunded. If a course is dropped later in the term, no tuition is refunded and the status of the student at the time of withdrawal is indicated on the permanent record as WP (Withdrew Passing) or WF (Withdrew Failing).

Transfer of credit for graduate work completed at another institution is considered only after a student has earned a minimum of 12 credits in the Training Program in Clinical Research. A maximum of 6 units of credit may be transferred for graduate courses completed at other institutions. Such credits are transferred only if the student received a grade of B (or its equivalent) or better. The transfer of graduate credit does not reduce the required minimum registration of 36 credits for the degree. However, a student who is granted such transfer of credit may be permitted to register for as much as 18 credits of research instead of the usual 12 credits.

A degree candidate is expected to complete all requirements within six calendar years of matriculation. Degree credit for a course (including one for which transfer credit is given) expires six years after the course is completed by the student; in this case, degree credit can be obtained only by retaking the course.

Home | About the Program | Applicant Information | Class Schedule | Course Descriptions | CRTP Faculty
NIH Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center in collaboration with Duke University Medical Center

© 2001 DUMC | Modified 07/06/01


	This collaborative training program between the NIH Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center and the Duke University School of Medicine meets an existing need at NIH for formalized academic training in the quantitative and methodological principles of clinical research. Designed primarily for clinical fellows and other health professionals who are training for careers in clinical research, the program offers formal courses in research design, research management and statistical analysis. Courses for this program are offered at the Clinical Center by means of video-conferencing from Duke or on site by adjunct faculty. The degree option leads to a Master of Health Sciences in Clinical Research, a professional degree awarded by the School of Medicine at Duke University. The degree requires 24 credits of graded course work plus a research project for which 12 units of credit are given. The program is designed for part-time study, which allows the fellow/student to integrate the program's academic training with his or her clinical training. Section 4107(a) of title 5 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) (1997) prohibits the training of federal employees to obtain an academic degree in order to qualify for appointment to a particular position or for the sole purpose of providing an opportunity to an employee to obtain one or more academic degrees. See subsection 410.308(a) of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) (1997). The courses in the program are available to qualified individuals who want to acquire specific skills but who do not want to pursue the master's degree. This option allows the flexibility of taking various combinations of courses subject only to constraints imposed by course prerequisites. Tuition for the 2002-2003 academic year is $480 per unit, with partial tuition waivers for some courses. Prospective participants should consult with their institute or center regarding the official training nomination procedure. The training program is offered by the faculty of the School of Medicine at Duke University with the participation of NIH investigators having expertise in relevant areas. All persons wishing to take courses in the Training Program in Clinical Research, even on a non-degree basis, must be admitted to the program. An advanced degree in a clinical health science (or two years of medical school) from an accredited institution is a prerequisite for admission either as a degree candidate or as a non-degree student. A student seeking admission to the Training Program in Clinical Research should obtain an application packet which contains the necessary forms and detailed instructions on how to apply. Application forms may be obtained from the NIH Office of Education in Building 10, Room B1L403. E-mail queries regarding the program may be addressed to tpcr@mc.duke.edu. A complete application for admission, either as a degree candidate or as a non-degree student, consists of the application form and the following supporting documents: (1) a current CV; (2) an official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended; (3) three letters of evaluation written by persons qualified to testify to the applicant's capacity for graduate work. The degree requires 24 credits of graded course work and a research project for which 12 units of credit are given. Five courses (241, 242, 245, 246 and 247) constitute 18 credits that are required for all degree candidates (see Course Descriptions). The student's clinical research activities provide the setting and the data for the project, which serves to demonstrate the student's competence in the use of quantitative methods in clinical research. Three faculty members constitute an examining committee to certify that the student has successfully completed the research project requirement for the degree. The committee must include a clinical investigator and a statistician, both of whom are on the faculty of Duke's Clinical Research Training Program (CRTP). The third member of the committee should be a faculty member who has substantive knowledge in the area in which the clinical research project is conducted; for clinical fellows, this committee member is often the student's mentor. The chair of the committee must be a member of the CRTP faculty Grades in the Training Program in Clinical Research consist of H (High Pass), P (Pass), L (Low Pass) and F (Fail). In addition, an I (Incomplete) indicates that some portion of the student's work is lacking for a reason acceptable to the instructor at the time grades are reported. Students will not be permitted to enroll in any course for which they have an unresolved I in a prerequisite course. In any case, a grade of I must be resolved no later than the end of the following academic semester unless the Course Director specifies an earlier date by which the student must make up the deficiency. In exceptional circumstances, an Incomplete that is not resolved within the designated period may be extended for a specified period with the written approval of the Course Director and the Program Director. If an Incomplete is not resolved within the approved period, the grade of I becomes permanent and may not be removed from the student's record. A student's enrollment as a degree candidate is terminated if he or she receives a single grade of F or two grades of L in the program. For these purposes, both WF (see below) and a permanent I are both considered to be failing grades. A course may be dropped at the student's discretion during the first three weeks of class; no grade is recorded and all tuition is refunded. If a course is dropped later in the term, no tuition is refunded and the status of the student at the time of withdrawal is indicated on the permanent record as WP (Withdrew Passing) or WF (Withdrew Failing). Transfer of credit for graduate work completed at another institution is considered only after a student has earned a minimum of 12 credits in the Training Program in Clinical Research. A maximum of 6 units of credit may be transferred for graduate courses completed at other institutions. Such credits are transferred only if the student received a grade of B (or its equivalent) or better. The transfer of graduate credit does not reduce the required minimum registration of 36 credits for the degree. However, a student who is granted such transfer of credit may be permitted to register for as much as 18 credits of research instead of the usual 12 credits. A degree candidate is expected to complete all requirements within six calendar years of matriculation. Degree credit for a course (including one for which transfer credit is given) expires six years after the course is completed by the student; in this case, degree credit can be obtained only by retaking the course.

Home \| About the Program \| Applicant Information \| Class Schedule \| Course Descriptions \| CRTP Faculty NIH Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center in collaboration with Duke University Medical Center © 2001 DUMC \| Modified 07/06/01