Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program (RWJCSP)

The Clinical Scholars Program was established at Yale in 1974, as part of a national physician-investigator training program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Yale program is one of the preeminent training programs in the country focused on studying the clinical epidemiology of disease and analyzing the efficacy of various treatment regimens using creative methodologic approaches. The goal of the program is to prepare physicians to pursue careers focusing on improving health and health care.

The program seeks to train physicians in critical thinking; to provide them with methodological skills; and to expose them to a wide range of topics so that they are prepared for the creative challenges in clinical research. This is achieved through rigorous methodological training with core curricula in quantitative methods and research design. The curricula center around two core courses—Methods in Clinical Research (formerly Quantitative Clinical Epidemiology), and Seminars in Health Policy and Delivery. In addition, Research in Progress sessions provide an opportunity for the Scholars to discuss ongoing projects with the Clinical Scholar Program faculty and with their colleagues. The Scholars receive intensive mentoring from Clinical Scholar Program and affiliated faculty to guide them in completing at least 2 research projects during their fellowship.

To date, 104 fellows have graduated from the Program, and 75% are currently members of the full-time faculty in American Medical Schools. Research has been a prominent focus of the career activities of most of the Clinical Scholar Program graduates. Many of the Yale graduates have gone on to become national and international leaders influencing diverse fields throughout medicine, including general medicine, clinical epidemiology, geriatrics, pediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics/gynecology, orthopedic surgery, and otolaryngology. Thus, Yale has an unprecedented 27-year record of achievement in training fellows for careers in patient-oriented research.

Methods in Clinical Research (MCR)

This course, which was developed specifically for physician-investigators by the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, provides the methodologic core curriculum for clinical investigation in three main components: research architecture, biostatistics, and data processing. The section on research architecture provides rigorous training in the “basic science” of clinical research, an overview of the principles that form the basis for designing clinical research studies, specifically topics addressing the etiology, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of disease. The sessions include topics such as principles of cause-effect research, suitability of variables, clinical trials, descriptive studies, observational studies, case-control studies, measurement issues, evaluation of diagnostic test performance, prognostic studies, meta-analysis, and clinical decision analysis. Topics in classical epidemiology, such as infectious disease, occupational epidemiology, and community surveys, have been added to augment the clinical focus. The section on biostatistics teaches traditional strategies in a way that is readily understandable and useful for clinicians, and also introduces newer and more clinically pertinent methods, such as newer methods of multivariable analyses. The section on data processing deals with the strategies, formats, and criteria used to transfer raw information into coded data. This section also includes an introduction to computer programs, statistical applications of standard software, experience in the use of both a personal computer and a local computer network, and strategies for analyses of large databases.

The course is open to a limited number of students outside of the Clinical Scholars Program. Application and tuition information are available from the website or program office.

Contact information--Phone (203) 785-4148.

http://info.med.yale.edu/intmed/rwjcsp