Clinical Research Study Design Workshop Series

General Description
This monthly workshop series is intended to provide postdoctoral clinical fellows with hands-on experiences that will prepare them to design a research protocol for a quantitative study (e.g. a clinical trial). It will be taught by experienced biostatisticians who will work with fellows to clarify their research questions and develop their study designs that will be showcased at a poster session in June.

Participants will learn to:

  • Formulate a researchable question
  • Design a research protocol
  • Determine sample sizes based on a study design
  • Design forms and construct spreadsheets to collect data
  • Prepare graphics that appropriately describe their data
  • Create a data dictionary
  • Critique data analyses from manuscripts
  • Present a poster session

Participants are expected to:

  • Attend all six sessions held monthly from January-June 2009.
  • Complete homework assignments between class sessions.
  • Bring to the first session: a research question, list of specific aims and list of the study outcomes for a proposed research study that will be the basis of your research protocol and poster presentation.

Who should register
This workshop series is intended for clinicians who have completed at least one-year of postdoctoral fellowship training. Ideal participants include fellows who are preparing an individual K award, preparing a poster presentation for a professional conference, or in the early stages of designing a study to meet their fellowship requirements.
Enrollment in this series is by nomination only. To be considered, please indicate your interest to your fellowship program director.

Prerequisites:

  • Completion of at least one year of postdoctoral training.
  • Knowledge of basic biostatistics and clinical trials study design (e.g. BMI 541, Introduction to Biostatistics and BMI 542, Introduction to Clinical Trials I).

Format
A series of monthly 2-hour sessions (first session will be 3 hours) will be held from January through June of 2009 (see dates below). Sessions will consist of short lectures, small and large group discussions, and hands-on exercises. Additionally, participants are expected to complete homework assignments between class sessions.

Workshop Series dates:
Wed. January 14th - 3:00-6:00 pm
Wed. February 25th - 3:00-5:00 pm
Mon. March 9th - 3:00-5:00 pm
Wed. April 29th - 3:00-5:00 pm
Wed. May 20th - 3:00-5:00 pm
Wed. June 10th - Poster Presentation in HSLC Atrium coinciding with the Short Course in Clinical Research


Registration fee: $150
Class size is limited, so clinical fellowship directors should send nominations to:
Karin Silet at or (608) 262-3903 by January 1st, 2009.

This course is applicable for the following training topic areas:
Study Design and Methodology;
Application of Biostatistics to Projects

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