Clinical Research

The clinical research track emphasizes training in protocol design, clinical research regulations and ethics, protocol implementation, data collection and analysis, data management, and biostatistics. It is anticipated that many trainees will obtain the Master of Science (M.S.) degree from the Clinical Scientist Training Program at Baylor. This program provides multidisciplinary didactic training for clinical researchers. The Clinical Scientist Training Program curriculum includes required courses in Fundamentals of Clinical Investigation and Clinical Investigation for the Career Scientist, as well as a seminar series and elective opportunities. Each trainee is linked with a research mentor, with whom he or she develops a long-term, thematic, HIV-related program of research.

Trainees work with the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative in the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) at Texas Children’s Hospital on a variety of NIH- and industry-sponsored clinical research studies. Each trainee is required to develop, implement, complete, present, and publish, with guidance, at least one clinical research protocol. The trainee prepares all necessary institutional review board documents and defends the research proposal at a meeting of the General Clinical Research Center Scientific Advisory Committee.

In addition to protocol work, trainees gain experience in the routine and protocol-related management of HIV-infected women and HIV-infected or exposed children, including use of prophylactic medications and antiretroviral agents, prevention and treatment of opportunistic illnesses, and management of treatment-associated toxicities. They participate actively in weekly clinical case and departmental teaching conferences.