Overview of the Clinical Investigation Graduate Program
The 2007 funding of UW ICTR through the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) facilitated UW-Madison’s ability to offer a complete spectrum of graduate programs in clinical research. The Graduate Program in Clinical Investigation (GPCI) is a complement to the areas of clinical research training emphasized by the graduate program in Population Health. The focus of the GPCI is to provide physicians, clinical scientists and other health care professionals the knowledge and skills needed to conduct and translate basic science discoveries into clinical applications through patient (human or animal)-oriented research – or what is commonly known as "from bench to bedside." Patient-oriented research includes the study of disease, therapeutic interventions, development of new technologies, and clinical trials. The graduate program in Population Health focuses on epidemiological or health services research which moves research from clinical trials to clinical practice and community settings.
A Multidisciplinary Degree Supporting a Research Career
ICTR is the administrative home for the degree program, but has joined together with its academic partners to develop and offer the GPCI. Representatives from the Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Nursing, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine and the College of Engineering came together as a task force in 2006 to design the program. All partner schools are represented in the curriculum and are joined by the Marshfield Clinic on the Faculty Governance Committee overseeing the GPCI.
The curriculum draws from existing courses in the various partner schools, but will also include new courses developed exclusively for the GPCI. Together, the coursework will provide a solid foundation in research methods and analysis, including biostatistics, study design, and ethical conduct. Through electives and a research requirement students will pursue their own area of specialization in patient-oriented clinical research.
The new program welcomes students or individuals pursuing a research career in academia, industry, at research institutes, or with health or regulatory agencies. Ideally, applicants will have a health professional degree (MD, DVM, PharmD, PhD, BSN, etc.) With complex schedules for clinicians and students, the GPCI program has flexible course schedules for both full- and part-time enrollment. Our goal is to offer courses at times and via technology to accommodate the schedule of busy professionals.
For more information, contact:
Debora Treu, MBA
Student Services Coordinator
Graduate Program in Clinical Investigation
or (608) 262-3768.
