Morehouse School of Medicine

Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR)

 

 

The Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) is the signature postgraduate educational program of the CRC. This broad-based multi-disciplinary graduate level program in clinical research is designed to prepare clinical faculty for a career in clinical research.

Director: Elizabeth Ofili, MD, MPH

Associate Program Director: Alexander Quarshie MD, MS is a Research Assistant Professor at the department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Associate Director of the Masters of Science in Clinical Research program, and Director of the Biostatistical and Data Management Center of the Clinical Research Center at Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Quarshie completed medical school at the University of Ghana Medical School in Ghana, received his Masters of Science in Medical Statistics at the University of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in London, United Kingdom.

Dr. Quarshie’s area of interest relates to the statistical genetics and genetic epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases. He has provided biostatical and study methodology assistance to a number of investigators and students at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM). He has co-authored a growing number of publications, and made several presentations on Biostatistics and Data Management at MSM.

MSCR Program Coordinator: Jacquelyn Ali , BBA has over fourteen years of administrative experience in coordinating programs in the research arena as well as a thorough knowledge of the process and procedures utilized in complying with the practice of clinical research. She currently oversees the day-to-day operations of the MSCR Program. She will complete her Masters in Administration within the next year.

The Goal of the MSCR Program is to develop a cadre of well-trained clinician faculty who will pursue clinical research on diseases that disproportionately affects minority populations through vigorous curriculum based training in a competitive and accredited Program.

The MSCR program supports faculty and career development and provides training in the principles and methods of biostatistics; epidemiology (including genetics and clinical trials), outcomes research (including health services research and health economics) and application of these principles/methods to clinical research.

To earn the MSCR degree, students must satisfactorily complete 24 credit hours of course work, have a minimum cumulative average of B and a research and satisfactorily complete a mentoring project for

 

Objectives: Upon completion of the MSCR program, the physician should be able to design, conduct, analyze, report, discuss and publish a clinical study. Specifically, the graduate student should be able to:

 

• Understand the principles of the design and conduct of clinical trials with attention to protocol preparation, randomization, sample size, trial monitoring, ethical issues, and data analysis.
• Understand principles of health services research and methods in assessing heath care quality and costs.
• Critically review and summarize the literature on a given topic.
• Identify and evaluate demographic, behavioral, social and environmental factors that have an impact on the distribution of disease in populations.
• Participate as a team member in identifying clinical research questions and selecting appropriate study designs and methods to address those questions.
• Assist in the design and administration of instruments for collection of epidemiological/medical data for the purposes of surveillance or research.
• Design observational and experimental studies, demonstrate understanding of potential sources of bias and confounding and methods of addressing them in the design and execution of studies.
• Demonstrate knowledge of ethical issues in the field of clinical research including the use of data involving human subjects, and
• Be able to prepare a human consent form for a research protocol.
• Appreciate the role of genetic factors and their interaction with environmental factors in the etiology and prevention of human disease.
• Prepare a National Institute of Health proposal including a budget using Public Health Service Form 398. Identify and access sources of health and medical data such as vital statistics records, disease registries, national surveys, and medical records, describe how these data are collected and their role in surveillance and disease prevention.
• Analyze epidemiologic/clinical data using basic statistical tests and measures of association.
• Perform basic statistical tests, recognize the assumptions behind the analysis and interpret the results.
• Use computer statistical software packages for data entry, database management, data summary, data analysis and display research results.
• Generate descriptive statistics and graphics to summarize and display clinical data.
• Deliver oral presentations and produce written reports on topics relevant to academic medicine.

Curriculum: The MSCR program is administered by the Director of the Clinical Research Education and Career Development Program. The program duration is 24 months. The schedule is sufficiently flexible to allow optimum participation of students and instructors. Most trainees have clinical responsibilities and need flexibility in the access to didactic teaching materials and interchanges with faculty. E-learning facilities address this challenge. The curriculum has four components:

1. The didactic coursework covering the fundamentals of Clinical Research (epidemiology, biostatistics, data analysis and clinical trials). Trainees are challenged to incorporate social science and behavior theory concepts to evaluate and understand health disparities. The course also covers ethical issues in clinical research using examples such as, the legacy of the Tuskegee experiments, and its impact on participation of African Americans in Clinical Research.

2. A practical skill workshop series supplements the didactic course work and Introduces Medical Informatics.

3. The Clinical Research Seminar Series brings together CRECD trainees, Morehouse School of Medicine Instructors, Consultants, Mentors as well as distinguished outside speakers. Trainees have an opportunity to present their work for critical review and comments and interact with internal and external role models.

4. Mentored Research Project. The mentored research project accounts for 12 of the 36 credit hours required for successful completion of the MSCR. Applicants to the MSCR program develop research proposals in consultation with their clinical chairs and/or research mentors. The proposal, which forms the basis for the mentored research project is submitted for review and approval by the Program Committee.

Application: Physicians applying for admission to the MSCR program are expected to meet the following requirements:

• Clinical Faculty with a professional degree who have completed specialty or subspecialty training (M.D, DDS, D.M.D., D.O., D.C., N.O., Ph.D. Pharm.D.) MSM applicants will be nominated and partially supported by their departments.
• Senior Physician Trainees (senior residents or fellows) may be eligible but must obtain departmental permission if training is at MSM.
• Faculty who have completed the basic institutional faculty development program at MSM or other institutions.

Selection will be based on

• Academic qualifications,
• Commitment to clinical research as evidenced by a personal typewritten narrative statement,
• Letters of recommendation and
• A personal interview conducted by the MS for Clinical Research Admissions Committee (MSCRAC).

All application materials should be mailed to:

Office of Admissions & Student Affairs
Morehouse School of Medicine
720 Westview Drive, S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30310-1495

For more detailed information concerning application forms, s election criteria, minimum entrance requirements and deadlines, visit the MSCR Website at:

www.msm.edu/educational/mcrprogram.htm