Clinical Research (Certificate)

The Certificate in Clinical Research Program is aligned with the mission of the Institute for Clinical Research Education to offer the highest-caliber training and education in clinical research and to enhance collaboration among trainees from multiple disciplines. This program is geared toward clinicians who are pursuing a research career, and can be completed over a year of part-time study. 

Contact Information 

Institute for Clinical Research Education  
200 Meyran Ave, Suite 300  
Pittsburgh, PA 15213  
Phone: 412-586-9632  
Fax: 412-586-9672  

Email: icre@pitt.edu 
Learn more. 

Admissions 

Admissions Criteria 

• Applicants must meet the following requirements before filling out an online application. 

• Candidates are encouraged, but not required, to have completed a graduate or professional degree. 

• Candidates must have a high level of interest and potential for the pursuit of innovative clinical research as a major focus of their career plan. 

• Candidates from departments who ensure 50%-75% of protected time during their pursuit of the degree. 

• A minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale 

• TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo scores (when applicable) 

• GRE and MCAT scores are not accepted 

Timeline 

The Certificate in Clinical Research Program accepts applications from December 15 through February 28 each year. In order to guarantee that you are considered for admission, we must receive your application and all component parts by February 28. Students will be notified via email of admission decisions approximately 1-2 months following the close of the application cycle. 

Degree Requirements 

Coursework Requirement: 

Core Curriculum 

The purpose of the core curriculum is to provide trainees with the basic set of skills that are required by clinical investigators in all fields of interest. These skills include an understanding of research design, epidemiologic methods, biostatistics, study and survey design, and measurement of outcomes. 

The four core courses that comprise the core curriculum are offered in July and August. They are commonly taken together but can be distributed over two summer terms with the guidance of an academic advisor. 

CLRES 2005 - COMPUTER METHODS FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH  

CLRES 2010 - CLINICAL RESEARCH METHODS  

CLRES 2020 - BIOSTATISTICS  

CLRES 2040 - MEASUREMENT IN CLINICAL RESEARCH  

Electives 

Students collaborate with your academic advisor to enroll in ICRE courses that most benefit their research and future career goals. Certificate students take a minimum of 6 elective credits. 

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Requirement: 

Clinical Research Certificate students are required to attend eight 1-hour CTSI Responsible Conduct in Research workshops or enroll in the ICRE course CLRES 2050: Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research. At the time of graduation, students must have at least 8 hours of RCR training through CTSI or have successfully completed CLRES 2050 in order to be eligible to graduate. 

More Information: 

For additional program details, please visit the certificate program page and review the program handbook.