Fundamentals of Clinical Research Program

The Fundamentals of Clinical Research Program provides non-credit, non-degree training for medical professionals conducting and collaborating on clinical research studies. Courses address fundamentals of epidemiology and biostatistics, clinical trial design, database development, practical aspects of study conduct, research ethics, and regulatory compliance.

• The program is mainly offered to clinical and postdoctoral fellows, residents, faculty, and medical students affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Applicants external to the University of Pennsylvania are acccepted if there is space.
• All courses are conducted online (via Canvas) to reduce scheduling challenges related to clinical activities.

Courses

• Introduction to Clinical Epidemiology
  • Covers common disease measures (e.g., incidence and prevalence) and performance metrics of diagnostic tests (e.g., sensitivity, specificity)
• Biostatistics in Practice
  • Provides a broad overview of the fundamental concepts of biostatistics and statistical models that are often used in clinical research
• Clinical Trials
  • Serves as a general introduction to clinical trials, addressing methods in the design, conduct, and reporting of clinical trials
• Database Management 
  • Provides students with an introduction to the techniques of data collection and database management as they apply to clinical research

Requirements

The Fundamentals of Clinical Research Program can be completed over a single academic year and requires:

• Satisfactory completion of all four courses
• Completion of the two online Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) modules addressing:
  1. Responsible Conduct of Research Training, and
  2. Protection of Human Subjects Research Training
  • (Note: If you are Penn-affiliated, please complete your CITI training via the Workday Learning modules)
• Course fees paid in full (Please contact us for current course fee rates)

Registration

An application for program enrollment is required. Please note that space is limited. First priority for enrollment will be granted to University of Pennsylvania clinical fellows and residents.  All other applications for enrollment will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis if space is available. Applications must be submitted by the deadline to ensure consideration. 

Registration for the program occurs on an annual basis. The application for the 2026-2027 academic year is now OPEN: Apply here. Please contact us about questions or information about the program or immediate needs.

All courses are currently offered as non-credit. As such, participants are not granted active/registered student status with the University. Registration/enrollment is managed exclusively through the CCEB. Upon completion of the program requirements, students will receive a certificate of completion.

Course auditing is not permitted.

Schedule

All courses are conducted online via Canvas. Each course runs over seven weeks with specific start and end dates. 

Inquiries

For program inquiries and other questions, please contact us and we'll get back to you as soon as possible!

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