Hospital to grant master's degrees

The Center for Clinical and Translational Science begins degree program in clinical and translational research

by TALLEY HENNING BROWN

In 2010, The Rockefeller University will include more than Ph.D.s among its alumni. As part of the plan established when Rockefeller received its first Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Institutes of Health, The Rockefeller University Hospital’s Clinical Scholars Program now serves as a vehicle for a three-year degree-track program in clinical and translational research. The endpoint: Rockefeller’s first master’s degrees.

Led by hospital physician in chief Barry Coller, medical director James Krueger and associate professor of clinical investigation Sarah Schlesinger, eight postgraduate students are currently enrolled in the program.

One of only 12 institutions nationwide to win a prestigious CTSA last year, Rockefeller University established the master’s program in accordance with the award’s provisions. Drs. Coller, Krueger and Schlesinger — all leaders in the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) created by the award — in collaboration with the Dean’s Office, drafted the application to the New York State Board of Regents for authority to award the degree. After an initial third-party review required by the state, the application was successful, and the CCTS enrolled its first master’s candidates in January.

The new program is designed to prepare scientists with previous doctoral degrees for careers in patient-oriented research. Students participate in a core curriculum called Topics in Clinical Investigation, taught by Drs. Coller and Schlesinger. Tutorials cover such topics as clinical research ethics, technology transfer, clinical trial design, protection of human subjects, grant preparation, scientific writing and presentations, conflict of interest, data management and legal aspects of human investigation. Other components of the program include a course in the molecular pathology of disease, preparation and submission of research grants, a student-selected course in the graduate school and a “humanities in medicine” offering. The core of the program is a clinical research project designed and carried out by the student and mentored by a senior faculty member.

“We provide them the support to help them submit a successful clinical protocol to the necessary regulatory authorities,” says Dr. Schlesinger.

The university is accredited to matriculate 15 master’s students at a time. As a prerequisite, an applicant must have completed an advanced degree in a clinical field: an M.D., DO or DDS, or a Ph.D. in psychology, epidemiology or nursing. Applications are vetted by Drs. Coller, Krueger and Schlesinger and Jan Breslow, who serves as one of the program’s many instructor-mentors. A clinical scholar usually holds an academic appointment of instructor of clinical investigation and a hospital appointment of assistant physician.