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Only one application needs to be completed for all courses desired during the quarter.
Deadline:
07/17/2026
Format:
In-person
Term Offered:
Fall
Summer
Overview
This online course guides residents and students through the essential components for writing a clinical research protocol, developed around their own clinical research question. Students attend lectures and small group seminars as well as being given the opportunity for an optional peer review session in the last week of the course. The course will cover research questions, hypotheses, specific aims, study types, sample size estimation, power calculations, and data analysis.
Course Details
The objectives for this course are for participants to:
- Acquire introductory skills for designing and interpreting clinical research.
- Produce a complete clinical research protocol, including background, sampling, measurements, and data analysis.
- Help others in the class to develop these skills and protocols.
- Possession of at least an undergraduate degree or enrollment in the UCSF Pre-Health Undergraduate Program (PUP) or SF-BUILD program.
- An idea for a research question in clinical research that has been discussed with a research mentor.
- Proficiency with word processing software, biomedical literature searching, and reference management software (Endnote, RefWorks or other software).
- Exceptions to prerequisites may be made with Course Director Consent.
For each of 7 blocks, which are held over a 1-month period, curricular material is introduced with a lecture and accompanying reading. Each block will focus on a new component of a research protocol, which students will discuss with faculty at the twice-weekly small group discussion section.
Lectures: For each block, a pre-recorded lecture provides an overview of the curricular material for the block. The video is available on the course website and can be viewed at the student's convenience.
Small Group Sections: Review of assigned protocol components and discussion of readings and exercises. Final Protocol Review: Student pairs or trios meet with a different faculty member to evaluate their protocols.
For each of the 7 blocks, students will:
- Watch the lecture
- Read portions of Designing Clinical Research (DCR-5)
- Complete the exercises
- Compose parts of your protocol (specific assignments in the syllabus section). Students are asked to bring the first draft of their homework to small group section. Revisions can subsequently be emailed to section leaders by MIDNIGHT
Required:
Designing Clinical Research by Warren Browner, MD, MPH, et al. Wolters Kluwer. 5th Edition. 2022. UCSF library call number: R853.C55 D47.
Books may be purchased either through the publisher or a variety of commercial venues (e.g., Amazon.com).
Students are expected to attend all small groups with only ONE excused absence permitted, and students are expected to inform their small group section leaders beforehand about any absence. Participation in small groups, timely completion of reading assignments and problems sets, and final submission of a completed protocol are minimum requirements for a passing grade.
Students not in full-year DEB Education Programs who satisfactorily pass all course requirements will, upon request, receive a Certificate of Course Completion.
Only UCSF students (defined as individuals enrolled in UCSF degree or certificate programs) will receive academic credit for courses. Official transcripts are available to UCSF students only. A Certificate of Course Completion will be available upon request to individuals who are not UCSF students and satisfactorily pass all course requirements.
For UC-Affiliated learners, the course fee is $150 ($0 for Prime UCSF Residents)
For Non-UC-Affiliated learners, the course fee is N/A
UC-Affiliation: Concurrent enrollment in a University of California-sponsored residency or post-doctoral fellowship program that is recognized by the Office of Graduate Medical Education; or a registered student in one of the professional schools or graduate programs at the University of California (in a program other than the TICR program); or individuals who hold full-time salaried University of California faculty, academic or staff positions. Please note: Individuals will be asked to provide proof of UC status.
The objectives for this course are for participants to:
- Acquire introductory skills for designing and interpreting clinical research.
- Produce a complete clinical research protocol, including background, sampling, measurements, and data analysis.
- Help others in the class to develop these skills and protocols.
- Possession of at least an undergraduate degree or enrollment in the UCSF Pre-Health Undergraduate Program (PUP) or SF-BUILD program.
- An idea for a research question in clinical research that has been discussed with a research mentor.
- Proficiency with word processing software, biomedical literature searching, and reference management software (Endnote, RefWorks or other software).
- Exceptions to prerequisites may be made with Course Director Consent.
For each of 7 blocks, which are held over a 1-month period, curricular material is introduced with a lecture and accompanying reading. Each block will focus on a new component of a research protocol, which students will discuss with faculty at the twice-weekly small group discussion section.
Lectures: For each block, a pre-recorded lecture provides an overview of the curricular material for the block. The video is available on the course website and can be viewed at the student's convenience.
Small Group Sections: Review of assigned protocol components and discussion of readings and exercises. Final Protocol Review: Student pairs or trios meet with a different faculty member to evaluate their protocols.
For each of the 7 blocks, students will:
- Watch the lecture
- Read portions of Designing Clinical Research (DCR-5)
- Complete the exercises
- Compose parts of your protocol (specific assignments in the syllabus section). Students are asked to bring the first draft of their homework to small group section. Revisions can subsequently be emailed to section leaders by MIDNIGHT
Required:
Designing Clinical Research by Warren Browner, MD, MPH, et al. Wolters Kluwer. 5th Edition. 2022. UCSF library call number: R853.C55 D47.
Books may be purchased either through the publisher or a variety of commercial venues (e.g., Amazon.com).
Students are expected to attend all small groups with only ONE excused absence permitted, and students are expected to inform their small group section leaders beforehand about any absence. Participation in small groups, timely completion of reading assignments and problems sets, and final submission of a completed protocol are minimum requirements for a passing grade.
Students not in full-year DEB Education Programs who satisfactorily pass all course requirements will, upon request, receive a Certificate of Course Completion.
Only UCSF students (defined as individuals enrolled in UCSF degree or certificate programs) will receive academic credit for courses. Official transcripts are available to UCSF students only. A Certificate of Course Completion will be available upon request to individuals who are not UCSF students and satisfactorily pass all course requirements.
For UC-Affiliated learners, the course fee is $150 ($0 for Prime UCSF Residents)
For Non-UC-Affiliated learners, the course fee is N/A
UC-Affiliation: Concurrent enrollment in a University of California-sponsored residency or post-doctoral fellowship program that is recognized by the Office of Graduate Medical Education; or a registered student in one of the professional schools or graduate programs at the University of California (in a program other than the TICR program); or individuals who hold full-time salaried University of California faculty, academic or staff positions. Please note: Individuals will be asked to provide proof of UC status.
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How to Enroll
Whether you're exploring the field, enhancing your skills, or working toward a larger academic goal, most individual courses are open to everyone. Current learners enrolled in DEB Education programs have priority in enrollment for this course. Any extra spaces are available to non-DEB Education learners (i.e., those from the Institute for Global Health Sciences, School of Nursing, external groups, etc).
You’ll find details on course fees, how to apply and pay, and the full course schedule on the Course Enrollment & Payment page. Be sure you understand the enrollment policies and payment process before completing the enrollment form.
And remember: you only need to submit one form for all the new courses you want to take.