Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (DEPM)

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Masters in Clinical Research

The Master of Science degree in clinical research is designed specifically to meet the needs of the clinician or clinician-in-training by providing a combination of course work and research experiences needed for a successful career in clinical investigation. The curriculum provides students with a thorough understanding of clinical research methodology, biostatistics, and research ethics and will provide participants with the necessary skills to conduct independent clinical research, to teach, and to mentor others. Graduates will have gained the ability to identify important clinical questions, develop research protocols, generate pilot data, conduct clinical investigations, analyze and write the results in a publishable form and develop and submit grant proposals. The program will prepare students to be competitive in seeking external support and be knowledgeable in the complex issues associated with conducting sound clinical research.

A total of 36 credits is required for the degree which can be completed on a part-time basis within two years. Students may select from four concentration areas:

• Epidemiologic Research
• Outcomes/Health Services Research
• Human Genetics
• Research Ethics

Mentored Research Project

The completion of a research project in the student’s area of research interest is one unique aspect of the program. The purpose of requiring this project is to provide the student with a comprehensive awareness of the research experience from the formulation of the research question to the design and conduct of the research protocol, to the analysis and presentation of the findings of the study, to finally the publication of the research results.

Students can fulfill this requirement through a Master’s thesis or a two-semester course, Research Practicum. Both mentors and students will participate in a formal mentoring program to optimize the mentor-mentee relationship. It is expected that, for most students, the mentoring and training activities invested in the master’s thesis ultimately will result in a funded research project.

Course Requirements

CORE COURSES (18 credits)

• PREV 600 Principles of Epidemiology (Credits: 3)
• PREV 619 Biostatistical Computing (Credits: 2)
• PREV 620 Principles of Biostatistics (Credits: 3)
• PREV 720 Statistical Methods in Epidemiology (Credits: 4)
• PREV 617 Design, Implementation and Reporting of Clinical Research Studies (Grant Writing) (Credits: 2)
• PREV 633 Application of Legal and Regulatory Issues in Clinical Research  (Credits: 1)
• PREV 706 Research Informatics: Data Management in Research (Credits: 2)
• CIPP 909 Responsible Conduct of Research (or equivalent) (Credits: 1)

¹ one of these two courses is required
² two of these three courses are required
³ one of these three courses is required

Admission Requirements

Applicants complete the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s graduate school application for admission. More information on graduate admissions can be found at: http://graduate.umaryland.edu/admissions/instructions.html. Physicians may substitute MCAT scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) requirement. Applications are due in the graduate school admissions office by March 1 and can be requested by calling the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine academic office at 410 706-3338 or by e-mail, epiacademicprograms@epi.umaryland.edu.

For additional information contact:

epiacademicprograms@epi.umaryland.edu