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ITHS › Education & Training › Graduate Programs › Clinical Translational Research Pathway › CTR Pathway at the UW School of Medicine

Clinical Translational Research Pathway at the UW School of Medicine

Overview

The Clinical and Translational Research (CTR) pathway is intended for UW School of Medicine (UWSOM) medical students who wish to learn about and explore the process of creating new knowledge in the form of clinical and/or translational research. The CTR pathway is intended to introduce students to the key components and framework of designing, conducting and presenting a clinical or translational research project. The pathway consists of an elective course series taken during Foundations, participation in the Scholarship of Discovery Independent Investigative Inquiry (III) option, and several additional requirements during the clerkship phases. The elective courses are built around the book “Designing Clinical Research” by Browner, et. al., as well as training materials created by the UW Institute for Translational Health Science (ITHS). Students who successfully complete all CTR pathway requirements receive a Certificate in Clinical and Translational Research from ITHS.

The CTR pathway has been approved as a pilot for the E-23 and E-24 classes and is open to MS1 students from all Foundations sites. Please note that as a pilot, this pathway is subject to change. To apply to the CTR pathway, submit this form.

Pathway Objectives

Pathway Objectives

  1. Design a clinical or translational research project including
    1. Formulate a research question and hypothesis
    2. Identify potential sources of error
    3. Determine appropriate statistical approaches
    4. Ensure rigor and reproducibility
  2. Address ethical concerns in a clinical or translational research project including
    1. Comply with relevant regulations
    2. Protect humans and/or animals
    3. Manage data in an ethical and compliant manner
    4. Mitigate conflicts of interest
  3. Work effectively as a member of a clinical or translational research team
    1. Describe roles and responsibilities on a research team
    2. Work effectively across a multi-disciplinary research team
  4. Communicate scientific results
    1. Create and present a research project in a poster format
    2. Give a 10-minute oral presentation of a research project
    3. Write a manuscript of a research project that adheres to scientific guidelines
  5. Describe issues of community engagement and cultural diversity in clinical and translational research including
    1. Give reasons for engaging with multiple medical communities
    2. Describe methods for successful engagement
    3. Describe the importance of diversity in research teams and participants
  6. Critique the scientific literature including
    1. Critically review a scientific journal article
    2. Identify sources of bias in scientific publication
    3. Describe reporting guidelines
    4. Demonstrate effective scientific writing
  7. Demonstrate proficiency in biomedical informatics including
    1. Demonstrate the use of electronic medical record data for research
    2. Describe the ethical and practical issues around the use of data

Pathway Requirements

Pathway Requirements

The CTR pathway is built upon an individual mentored research project that takes place during the Summer Quarter between Year 1 and Year 2 and fulfills the Scholarship of Discovery (SoD) option of the Independent Investigative Inquiry (III) requirement. At least one additional research rotation of at least 4 weeks is required during the clerkship phases. A series of elective courses during Foundations provides the fundamental concepts and frameworks in clinical and translational research that the student will use to design and implement their III project. Students will also publicly communicate the results of their research in poster, oral, and written formats.

  • CTR pathway elective courses during Foundations (*optional)
    • *BIME 594: Overview and Introduction to Clinical and Translational Research (AUT 1)
    • BIME 525: Designing and Developing Clinical and Translational Research (WIN 1)
    • BIME 526: Planning and Implementing Clinical and Translational Research (SPR 1)
    • BIME 527: Disseminating and Advancing Clinical and Translational Research (AUT 2)
  • The Independent Investigative Inquiry (III) Scholarship of Discovery (SoD) option (SUM 2)
  • A research rotation of at least 4 weeks during the Patient Care or Explore & Focus phase
  • Research products
    • Poster presentation (AUT 2)
    • Abstract submission for Western Student and Resident Medical Research Forum (WSMRF) conference, or equivalent (AUT 2)
    • Oral presentation for WSMRF or equivalent, if accepted (WIN 2)
    • Oral symposium presentation (Transition to Residency)
    • Publication quality manuscript (Year 4)

Qualifications and Selection

Qualifications and Selection

CTR pathway students are not required to have experience with either clinical or translational research but should have an interest in devoting a significant amount of elective time to exploring CTR as a potential part of their future career. The CTR pathway is not designed for students in the MSTP program. Since CTR pathway students engage in full-time SoD III research activities throughout the Summer Quarter of Year 2, pursuing other III options precludes participation in the CTR pathway. Specifically, enrolling in pathways that require participation in RUOP or GHIP are not logistically compatible with the CTR pathway at this time. CTR pathway students will be required to fulfill their research project requirement with a research project faculty mentor who agrees to meet expectations of the CTR pathway. Students will obtain agreements from prospective research project mentors using a form provided by the CTR pathway. Students wishing to pursue a project with a primary research mentor who is not UWSOM faculty will need to arrange for a secondary project mentor who holds a UWSOM faculty appointment. The student/mentor agreement form is not due until after acceptance into the CTR Pathway.

Students who are potentially interested in the CTR pathway should enroll and participate in the seminar series BIME 594: Overview and Introduction to Clinical and Translational Research during Autumn quarter of Year 1. However, during the two-year pilot participation in BIME 594 will not be required in order to apply for the CTR pathway. In November, students will be able to apply to the pathway using the link here. The deadline to submit an application for the CTR pathway is December 1, 2023. We anticipate that students will receive invitations to participate in the CTR pathway by December 15, 2023, with a deadline for acceptance of January 2, 2024. The student/mentor agreement form is not due until after acceptance into the CTR Pathway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

I understand what clinical research is, but what is translational research?

Translational science represents each stage of research along the path from the biological basis of health and disease to interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public. More information can be found on the National Center for Advancement of Translational Science (NCATS) website: https://ncats.nih.gov/translation/spectrum

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Do I need to have a lot of research experience to pursue the CTR pathway?

No! Even without prior research experience you should gain knowledge and skills on the design, implementation and dissemination of clinical and translational research. For students with more research experience the goal of the course is to provide a greater understanding of fundamental research principles. However, if you already have an advanced research degree (Ph.D. or M.S. with thesis) or are a student in the MSTP program, you likely already possess the knowledge and skills that the CTR pathway would provide and so are unlikely to benefit from participation in the pathway.

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Can I participate in the CTR pathway along with other pathways?

No, at this time students are not able to participate in both the CTR pathway and any of the other pathways. As a new pathway with potentially significant time commitments, approval of the pilot was contingent upon the initial cohorts not participating in other pathways, as they may have conflicting requirements and demands.

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Can I fulfill my III with an option other than the Scholarship of Discovery?

No, the centerpiece of the CTR pathway is the summer-long research activity to fulfill the SoD III option. The elective courses focus on designing this project and disseminating the results in poster, written, and oral format.

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Do I need to publish my research or present it at a national meeting?

No, publication or and/or external presentation is not a requirement to successfully complete the CTR pathway. Research can follow very different timelines based upon the particulars of a project, many of which are beyond the student’s control. The primary goal of the CTR pathway is to provide education to the student through designing and completing a research project. While the scientific results of the project are also important, they are a secondary goal for the pathway. You will be expected to prepare an abstract of your work for submission to the Western Student and Resident Medical Research Forum (WSMRF) or an equivalent external meeting at the direction of your project mentor and, if accepted, you will present your work. You will also present your research internally at the III poster session, an oral presentation at Transition to Residency, and a manuscript of “publication quality” as deemed by the CTR pathway faculty.

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Can I join the CTR pathway if I’m not a MS1 student?

No, the CTR pathway is only open to MS1 students since it is designed as a longitudinal experience centering around the SoD III research done during the summer between Year 1 and Year 2, with non-clinical elective courses taken during Year 1 and Year 2 of Foundations.

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Can I participate in the CTR pathway courses during Foundations without being in the pathway?

The first course, BIME 594: Overview and Introduction to Clinical and Translational Research, is a zoom-based seminar that is open to any Foundations student who wants to enroll. However, the remaining courses are small-group based and therefore limited to participants in the CTR pathway pilot.

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I really want to pursue research on a particular topic or in a certain specialty. Can I find my own project or mentor?

Yes, as long as the mentor agrees to the expectations of the CTR pathway. Research project mentors for students in the CTR pathway will be asked to engage with the student on the design and preparation of the project, conducting the project itself, and presenting the results of the project, as well as providing assessment and feedback. Students will obtain an agreement from prospective members which outlines the expectations of both students and mentors. See here for the CTR pathway student and research project mentor agreement. The student/mentor agreement form is not due until after acceptance into the CTR Pathway.

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Does my project mentor need to be a UWSOM faculty member?

CTR pathway research projects must have a UWSOM faculty mentor.  If a prospective research project mentor is not a UWSOM faculty member, then a project will need a co-mentor who holds a UWSOM faculty appointment. The UWSOM co-mentor will assist in ensuring that the project meets the requirements of the SoD III option and the CTR pathway. Medical student research directors and UWSOM faculty teaching the CTR pathway courses are potentially co-mentors for these projects.

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Do I need to pursue clinical or translational research as my III project?

Yes, since the pathway is focused on clinical and translational research principles, approved projects will need to be of these general types. However, the concept of translational research is inherently broad and includes a wide range of the biomedical research taking place at UWSOM and WWAMI partner institutions.

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Do I need to be in the CTR pathway in order to engage in research during medical school?

Absolutely not! UWSOM has an amazing variety of research opportunities both in Seattle and throughout the entire WWAMI region. While we think that the CTR pathway is a great choice for students who want to learn about clinical and translational research within a pathway structure, there are ample opportunities for students to engage in research, such as completing a Scholarship of Discovery III project or reaching out to individual departments or investigators.

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What is the timeline for applying to and enrolling in the CTR pathway?

  • November 8, 2023: CTR pathway application available here
  • December 1, 2023 by 5pm Pacific time: Deadline for applying to CTR pathway
  • December 15, 2023: CTR pathway decisions released
  • January 2, 2024 by 5pm Pacific time: Deadline for enrolling in CTR pathway

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Contact Information

Contact Information

For additional information about the CTR pathway contact: