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

Clinical Translational Science Pathway at the UW School of Medicine

Overview

The Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) 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 science. The CTS pathway is intended to introduce students to the key components and framework of designing, conducting and presenting a clinical or translational science research project. The pathway consists of an elective course series taken during Foundations, participation in the Triple I Discovery 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 CTS pathway requirements receive a Certificate in Clinical and Translational Science from ITHS.

The CTS pathway 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 CTS pathway, submit this form.

Pathway Objectives

Pathway Objectives

  1. Design a clinical or translational science 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 science 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 science 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 in clinical and translational science including
    1. Give reasons for engaging with multiple medical communities
    2. Describe methods for successful engagement
  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 CTS 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 Triple I Discovery option requirement. A series of elective courses during Foundations provides the fundamental concepts and frameworks in clinical and translational science that the student will use to design and implement their Triple I Discovery project. Students will also publicly communicate the results of their research in poster, oral, and written formats.

  • CTS pathway elective courses during Foundations
    • 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 Triple I Discovery option (SUM 2)
  • Research products
    • Poster presentation (AUT 2)
    • Abstract submission for Western Medical Research Conference (WMRC) conference, or equivalent (AUT 2)
    • Oral presentation for WMRC or equivalent, if accepted (WIN 2)
    • Oral symposium presentation (Transition to Residency)
    • Publication quality manuscript (Year 4)

Qualifications and Selection

Qualifications and Selection

CTS 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 CTS as a potential part of their future career. The CTS pathway is not designed for students in the MSTP program. Since CTS pathway students engage in full-time Triple I Discovery research activities throughout the Summer Quarter of Year 2, pursuing other Triple I options may preclude participation in the CTS pathway. Specifically, enrolling in pathways that require participation in RUOP or GHIP are not logistically compatible with the CTS pathway at this time. CTS pathway students will be required to fulfill their research project requirement with a research project faculty mentor who agrees to meet expectations of the CTS pathway. Students will obtain agreements from prospective research project mentors as part of the Triple I Discovery program. 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. As part of the pathway application students will provide the name of the mentor and project that they have identified.

In November, students will be able to apply to the pathway using the online application here. The deadline to submit an application for the CTS pathway is December 1, 2025. We anticipate that students will receive invitations to participate in the CTS pathway by December 15, 2025, with a deadline for acceptance of January 2, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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 CTS pathway?

No! Even without prior research experience you should gain knowledge and skills on the design, implementation and dissemination of clinical and translational science. 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 CTS pathway would provide and so are unlikely to benefit from participation in the pathway.

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

It depends. All CTS pathway students are required to participate in the Triple I Discovery option throughout the entirely of the III timeframe. So pathways that require participation in another III option such as RUOP or GHIP are not compatible with the CTS pathway.

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Can I fulfill my Triple I with an option other than Triple I Discovery?

No, the centerpiece of the CTS pathway is the summer-long research activity to fulfill the Triple I Discovery 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 CTS 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 CTS 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 Medical Research Conference (WMRC) 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 CTS pathway faculty.

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

No, the CTS pathway is only open to MS1 students since it is designed as a longitudinal experience centering around the Triple I Discovery 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 CTS pathway courses during Foundations without being in the pathway?

Since the pathway courses are small-group based they are limited to participants in the CTS 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 CTS pathway. Research project mentors for students in the CTS 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. As part of the Triple I Discovery program, students will obtain an agreement from prospective mentors which outlines the expectations of both students and mentors.

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

CTS 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 Triple I Discovery option and the CTS pathway. Medical student research directors and UWSOM faculty teaching the CTS pathway courses are potentially co-mentors for these projects.

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

Yes, since the pathway is focused on clinical and translational science principles, approved projects will need to be of these general types. However, the concept of translational science 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 CTS 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 CTS pathway is a great choice for students who want to learn about clinical and translational science within a pathway structure, there are ample opportunities for students to engage in research, such as completing a Triple I Discovery project or reaching out to individual departments or investigators.

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

  • November 14, 2025: CTS pathway application opens
  • December 1, 2025 by 5pm Pacific time: Deadline for applying to CTS pathway
  • December 15, 2025: CTS pathway decisions released
  • January 2, 2026 by 5pm Pacific time: Deadline for enrolling in CTS pathway

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Contact Information

Contact Information

For additional information about the CTS pathway contact: