Structure and Divisions
Thematic Divisions
To address the full range of clinical research and the needs of a broad range of trainees, our program will have three divisions. The structure of these three divisions is meant to identify and deliver optimal mentorship, access to research core facilities, and laboratories for conducting mentored research. It is emphatically not intended to suggest that trainees must confine themselves to studying in one division. In fact, encouragement and opportunity to develop integrative studies across these divisions is a goal of the program. The Clinical Research Scholars will be exposed to the major principles and practical considerations of conducting research in all three areas, but will choose to study within one of the divisions in depth:
- Division of Translational Research will focus on late stage pre-clinical research and the initial translation from bench to human studies. This is most analogous to Phase I studies in FDA terminology. This component will draw extensively on the UW General Clinical Research Center, and be headed by Dr. Nora Disis, Associate Professor of Medical Oncology. Dr. Danny Shen, Chair of the Department of Pharmacy, will be Co-Director.
- Division of Clinical Trials will focus on the clinical trial phase of testing treatment or diagnostic efficacy. This is analogous to Phase II and Phase III research studies. This division will be headed by Dr. Jeffrey Probstfield, Professor of Cardiology and current director of the UW K-30 Program. The Co-Director will be Dr. Thomas Fleming, Chair of the Department of Biostatistics.
- Division of Outcomes, Clinical Epidemiology, and Health Services Research will focus on the step of disseminating clinical trial results into actual practice and improvements in population health. In some ways, this work is analogous to Phase IV or post-approval studies. This division will be headed by Dr. Sean Sullivan, Professor of Pharmacy and of Health Services. Dr. Fred Rivara, Vice-Chair of Pediatrics, will be the Co-Director.
All three divisions will involve faculty from the UW Schools of Medicine, Public Health and Community Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Dentistry, and Social Work, as well as prominent affiliated programs at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, VA Puget Sound, and the Group Health Center for Health Studies.
Physical Configuration
The Clinical Research Scholars all will be located in a single office suite during the first two years of training. This assures that during the first year, while pursuing a multidisciplinary didactic core curriculum, they will have the opportunity to discuss course work, share research ideas, and develop a sense of cohesiveness. It will also reinforce the concept of a continuum from translational work to outcomes research, and the value of collaboration across the continuum. It assures continued interaction among the Scholars during the second year, while they are beginning to develop and conduct mentored research projects. First-year Scholars will be exposed to the experiences of the second and later-year Scholars in diverse disciplines. This emphasizes the multidisciplinary goals of the training program, encourages Scholars to share experiences, and cross-fertilizes developing research interests. Thus, for the required two years of the training program, the Scholars would enjoy a high level of peer interaction, a key component of learning.
After the first two years, the Scholars will move to research centers and laboratories provided by their individual departments, but continue to participate in monthly meetings with each other and with more junior Scholars. They will also be involved in selected teaching activities aimed at Scholars in their first two years. Some Scholars may also choose elective coursework in their later years. The migration to individual departments will embed each Scholar more closely in a home department, where he or she will begin developing more extensive collaborative research ties and networks with other faculty.