This Web document is updated twice a year, on or about the first day of registration for Fall and Spring semesters.

6010  Introduction to Epidemiology (1)
   Basic epidemiology, including: measures of disease frequency, measures of effect, basic study designs, confounding, bias, stratification, and casual reasoning.

6020  Data Management (1)
   Managing databases for research, including: problems and solutions of data management, database design, table linkage, confidentiality issues and data security.

6030  Computer Practicum (1)
   Practice with statistical software (e.g. Stata) to merge datasets, analyze data, scientific graphing, Monte Carlo simulation, and sensitivity analysis.

6040  Design and Implementation of Clinical Trials (2) Prerequisite: M.D., D.O., Ph.D. Degree
   This course defines clinical trials and reviews drug registration trials, phase I, II and III trials, clinical endpoints, surrogate endpoints, pharmacokinetics, drug-drug interactions, data and safety monitoring, criteria for closure and single versus multi-institutional trials. Case-based sessions covering clinical trials in occlusive heart disease, arthritis, asthma and oncology provide informative examples of trial design and potential pitfalls.

6100  Epidemiology Seminar (1)
   Key papers in epidemiological methodology will be discussed and representative studies illustrating the application of these methods will be selected for critical review.

6110  Intermediate Epidemiology (2) Prerequisite: MDCRC 6010 Introduction to Epidemiology
   The course considers in some depth the epidemiologic study designs: cohort, case-control, cross-sectional, ecological. Goals are that students will be able to: 1) design epidemiologic studies; 2) understand causal inference and potential sources of bias in observational studies; 3) recognize and address confounding and effect modification in data; and 4) critically read epidemiologic papers.

6120  Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (2)
   Concepts used in the economic evaluation of health care programs, foundations of cost effectiveness analysis, interpreting and critiquing the literature of cost-effectiveness analysis, and constructing these analyses.

6130  Introduction to Decision Analysis (1)
   Introduction to decision analysis in health care, including: concepts, creation and evaluation of decision trees, Markov chains, sensitivity analysis, and incorporating patient preferences with utility analysis.

6140  Intermediate Decision Analysis and Modeling (1) Prerequisite: MDCRC 6130 Intro to Decision Analysis
   Practicum in designing and constructing a decision analysis model to solve an actual health care problem. A problem is provided, students are instructed in methods to solve the problem utilizing decision analysis, and students present their solution

6200  Meta Analysis (1)
   Meta-analysis approach of combining quantitative, including statistical methods, eligibility criteria of studies, tests of homogeneity, summary measures, sources of variation, and sensitivity analysis.

6210  Regression Models (2) Prerequisite: MDCRC 6000, MDCRC 6010
   Linear regression, logistic regression, Poisson regression, Cox regression, including: methods for correlated data (generalized estimating equations and mixed models), testing model assumptions, and assessment of model fit.

6220  Survey Methods (2) Prerequisite: MDCRC 6210.
   Design of surveys used in research and practical issues related to their development, application, and interpretation. Topics include methods of data collection, sampling strategies, measurement error, error associated with sampling and non-response, questionnaire format, interview effects and training, and survey evaluation.

6230  Health Services Research (2)
   Measurment of clinical outcomes, including: scale development, reliability and valididty, study design, misclassificaiton bias, comorbidity, severity of illness scores, and quality of life measurements.

6240  Community Intervention Studies (2)
   Strategies for designing and implementing field intervention trials and their methods of analysis, including cluster randomization and time series analysis.

6250  Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases (1) Prerequisite: MDCRC 6110.
   Epidemiology of infectious diseases and dynamics of transmissible agents, including: outback investigation, mathematical modeling of host-microorganisms interactions, and statistical methods for detection of cluster.

6410  Research Seminar Series (1) Prerequisite: M.D., D.O., Ph.D. Degree
   This course is presented in both the fall and spring semester and is presented on the second and fourth Friday afternoons of each month. Each seminar begins with the presentation of a case representing an inherited human disorder or a clinical issue related to health care delivery. Discussion will follow based on the methods used for cloning responsible genes or defining epidemiologic issues. The seminars are designed to illustrate the process of scientific discovery in clinical investigation providing examples of how innovative approaches and methods were applied and to discuss obstacles that impede progress.

6420  Genetics of Complex Disease (1) Cross listed as H GEN 6421. Prerequisite: M.D., D.O., Ph.D. Degree
   Course work addresses issues relevant to the identification of genes underlying susceptibility to complex disorders. Subjects covered include advantages and disadvantages of isolates versus large population, utilization of affected sibling pairs, discordant sibling pairs and extended families. Methods taught include traditional case-control association methods and family based methods. Other subjects include locus and allelicheterogeneity, phenotypic heterogeneity, gene-gene and gene-environment interactions and density of polymorphic markers.

6430  Bioethical Issues in Clinical Research (1) Prerequisite: M.D., D.O., Ph.D. Degree
   Ethical issues and standards for scientific investigation are covered in depth. Course work emphasizes the history and evolution of research norms and practices, institutional expectations and standards, and the process of review and oversight for experimental protocols. Additional material covers ethical issues and public policy linked to genetic research-case-based problem solving is used to cover interactions with the Institutional Review Board.

6440  Medical Genetics for Clinical Investigation (1) Prerequisite: M.D., D.O., Ph.D. Degree
   This course provides a broad overview of medical genetics with an emphasis on issues most relevant for clinical investigators. The formal genetics of Mendelian traits. Cytogenetics, including new molecular techniques is covered. Gene mapping through linkage analysis, positional cloning and candidate gene analysis are reviewed.

6450  Grant Writing (2) Prerequisite: M.D., D.O., Ph.D. Degree
   This course covers the entire preparation of a grant, including funding sources, letter of intent, aims and hypotheses, background, specific projects, sample size and statistics, budgets, biosketches, and supporting appendices. Students will write an actual grant and critique classmates' grants.

6510  Molecular Biology for Clinical Investigators (1) Prerequisite: M.D., D.O., Ph.D. Degree
   The course focuses on modern prokaryote and eukaryote genetics, eukaryote gene structure with an emphasis on mammalian systems and cell biology emphasizing mammalian model systems. Methods utilized in laboratory-based investigations utilizing molecular biology are covered in detail.

6520  Biochemistry for Clinical Investigators (1) Prerequisite: M.D., D.O., Ph.D. Degree
   This course utilizes clinical syndromes as the starting point for teaching exercises in biochemistry. Course material covers DNA synthesis and repair, lipid metabolism, cell cycle control, protein structure, biochemistry of diabetes and the interactions of biochemical pathways in complex organisms. The objective of the course is to prepare clinical investigators to be totally conversant with techniques of biochemistry, cell cycle control and protein structure that might relate directly to clinical research projects done by multidisciplinary groups.

6530  Utilization of Animal Models in the Development of Clinical Research Projects (1) Prerequisite: M.D., D.O., Ph.D. Degree
   It is now possible to precisely modify any DNA sequence within the genome of the mouse. This course emphasizes using mouse models to dissect the genetic basis of human disease. Deletion of genes using homologous recombination will be covered extensively as will other methods of gene inactivation (anti-sense constructs, inhibitory RNA, etc.). New experimental systems for modeling human disease in zebra fish and C. elegans will also be covered.

6540  Techniques in Molecular Biology (2) Prerequisite: M.D., D.O., Ph.D. Degree
   This course provides a survey of contemporary techniques for gene isolation, characterization, and manipulation. Topics include DNA cloning and sequencing, microarrays, PCR, protein expression and interaction methods, and methods of protein analysis. A basic background in molecular biology is required.

6970  Project Research (5 to 10)
   Graduate research project and writing of a K23 grant or equivalent.

6970  Mentored Clinical Research Project (6 to 10)
   Graduate research project over two years and writing of a K23 grant or equivalent.