NIH Clinical Research Connections

A newsletter for alumni and current participants in NIH clinical training programs

Letter from the Director

It has been an eventful summer for the Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education (OCRTME). From the pilot Ph.D. Summer Course to the Summer Internship Program and visits by students from both Howard University and the University of Arizona, OCRTME has strived to not only provide ongoing education for those already in their careers but to spark the interests of a generation who will serve as our future clinician-scientists. As the summer comes to a close, the new Medical Research Scholars Program is underway and registration for remote sites for our long distance learning courses is underway. Please take a moment to read about some of our recent endeavors as well as upcoming events.

Yours,

Frederick P. Ognibene, MD, FCCM, FACP
Deputy Director, Educational Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, NIH Clinical Center (CC)
Director, Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education, CC
National Institutes of Health

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Basic Science Students Introduced to Their Role in Clinical and Translational Research

Dr. Juan Lertora presents to students in the Ph.D. Student Summer Program.The Course in Clinical and Translational Research for Ph.D. Students welcomed its first class of 16 students on July 9. This pilot program invited doctoral students in the basic sciences to the NIH campus for a two-week curriculum, to build a foundation in clinical and translational research in an effort to encourage young scientists to consider a future career in the field. Students met with role models from across the NIH intramural program who had formal training in the basic sciences but who now play key roles in clinical research studies.

"Sometimes, students working on very focused projects may not have a vision as to how their work will be integrated into a clinical application," said Dr. Juan Lertora, director of clinical pharmacology in the CC and faculty lead for the new program. "This program broadens their perspective and thereby increases the potential for translation of basic laboratory observations to clinical medicine."

Through lectures and interactive sessions, participants learned principles of clinical and translational research design, implementation, and analysis, and the process of scientific and ethical review.

Students participated in a mock institutional review board and learned the process of filing an investigational new drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The course also included tutorials on training and funding opportunities, such as the NIH Bedside-to-Bench Awards Program.

"I am hoping that this program will be a bridge or a link to a professional clinical or translational career for me," said student Marangelie Criado-Marrero of the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico. "In a small school, you don't always have the opportunity to be in the lab with patients. There's so much to learn at the NIH and having the ability to work in the lab and also with patients is a great opportunity."

The genesis for the curriculum came as a recommendation from the CC's Advisory Board for Clinical Research. After a successful pilot, plans are underway to officially launch the course in 2013.

"This course is another way to enhance the pipeline of translational researchers and is a wonderful way for basic scientists to learn the valuable roles they have as part of the research team, working closely with clinicians to move concepts from the bedside to the bench and back," said CC Director Dr. John I. Gallin.

To receive the latest information regarding the upcoming 2013 course, please email: cc-od-ocrtme@mail.nih.gov.

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Take Part in CC Fall 2012 Courses via Distance-Learning

illustration of people navigating around the world globeRegistration is underway for two of the Clinical Center's 2012-2013 courses: "Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (IPPCR)" and the "Principles of Clinical Pharmacology (PCP)." In addition to being offered on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD, these courses are also offered to more than 1,000 students each fall through long distance learning.

The CC offers the opportunity for universities and institutions across the United States and around the world to participate as a remote site. The classes are broadcast live to participating remote sites and archived for on-demand access. Confirmed remotes sites from across the U.S. include institutions in Ohio, Florida, and California, and across the world in locations such as Brazil, West Africa, Australia, India, Mexico, and China. Registration for PCP ended on August 30, 2012, and registration for IPPCR ends on October 5, 2012.

If you are outside the NIH commuting area and would like to check on the possibility of participating at one of the confirmed remote locations, please contact us: 301-496-9425 or cc-od-ocrtme@mail.nih.gov.

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Howard, Arizona Students Visit the CC; Learn about Research Careers

Howard University's Robert Wood Johnson Summer Medical and Dental Education Program studentsHoward University: OCRTME hosted 85 undergraduate students participating in Howard University's Robert Wood Johnson Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP) on June 21 to learn more about the NIH Clinical Center and intramural training programs. The students participated in focused tours of the NIH Clinical Center and attended presentations by OCRTME staff highlighting NIH training opportunities that covered the spectrum of intramural programs available to students and future researchers.

University of Arizona: OCRTME hosted four undergraduate students from the University of Arizona August 6-10 to learn more about the NIH and possible career and educational opportunities in clinical and translational research. All students are graduates of the NIH-supported Summer Institute on Medical Ignorance and are research trainees funded by the National Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood (NHLBI) at the University of Arizona. During their visit, students met with individuals from several Clinical Center departments including Critical Care Medicine, Transfusion Medicine, and Bioethics.

OCRTME aims to enhance the diversity of the pipeline for future clinician-scientists through events and educational offerings. To stay up-to-date on other Clinical Center's training and education news and events, please visit our Current Events page.

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Medical Research Scholars Program Officially Commences September 5

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Medical Research Scholars Program (MRSP) officially begins on Wednesday, September 5. The 45 students selected to participate in the 2012-2013 program began arriving to the intramural campus in July to start their year-long, mentored basic, translational, or clinical research fellowships. MRSP scholars work directly with a dedicated mentor who has been approved by the scientific director of the selected mentor's institute or center. Mentors represent the full spectrum of NIH intramural research.

In addition to their research experiences, the scholars also participate in didactic components such as structured research seminars on seminal basic, translational and clinical research topics that highlight the continuum of discovery, as well as issues in bioethics, science policy and emerging technologies; training in clinical protocol development and the conduct of human subjects research; clinical rounds focusing on the research patient population at the NIH Clinical Center; and academic leadership training workshops. Scholars also have the option of enrolling in courses offered by the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences, as well as courses offered at the NIH Clinical Center such as the "Introduction to the Principles and Practices of Clinical Research," and the" Ethical and Regulatory Aspects of Clinical Research."

The NIH MRSP is made possible through a public-private partnership supported jointly by the NIH and generous contributions to the Foundation for the NIH from Pfizer Inc, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, as well as other private donors.

For more information on MRSP current events and the upcoming 2013-2014 application cycle, please visit the MRSP webpage.

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CC Summer Interns Present Research during annual Poster Day

Briana Robertson (center), Mai Maye (right), and Clare HastingsA total of 45 high school, undergraduate, graduate, and health professional students participated in the Clinical Center's 2012 summer internship program. At the end of the eight-week experience, interns presented their research at the NIH's annual Poster Day on August 9.

Briana Robertson (center), an intern in the CC's Department of Nursing, and a high school student from KIPP DC, presented her poster on alkaptonuria, a rare hereditary condition, during Poster Day. KIPP DC is a network of high-performing, public, college-preparatory charter schools in Washington, D.C., which serves the city's under-resourced communities. The Clinical Center hopes to encourage more high school students to participate in NIH's summer internship programs. Also pictured is Mai Maye from KIPP DC (right) and Clare Hastings, PhD, RN, FAAN, Clinical Center's Chief Nurse Officer.

Briana Robertson (center), an intern in the CC's Department of Nursing, and a high school student from KIPP DC, presented her poster on alkaptonuria, a rare hereditary condition, during Poster Day. KIPP DC is a network of high-performing, public, college-preparatory charter schools in Washington, D.C., which serves the city's under-resourced communities. The Clinical Center hopes to encourage more high school students to participate in NIH's summer internship programs. Also pictured is Mai Maye from KIPP DC (right) and Clare Hastings, PhD, RN, FAAN, Clinical Center's Chief Nurse Officer.

For more information on the Summer Internship Program and additional training opportunities, please visit our website.

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