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The University of Arizona's Clinical & Translational Research (ACTR) graduate certificate program prepares interprofessional scientists for the complexities of clinical & translational research through high-quality didactic instruction, and mentored collaborative research experiences.
The mission of the ACTR is to educate interprofessional scholars in collaborative methods and techniques for clinical and translational research, and to provide them with the tools necessary to become independent clinical researchers who will contribute to the advancement of biomedical science and the improvement of healthcare.
Clinical and translational research is fundamental for prevention, treatment, diagnosis and relief of symptoms of disease in human populations. Worldwide, there is an increasing need for highly qualified clinical researchers. The ACTR graduate certificate program has a strong track record for training interprofessional translational clinical researchers.
“I completed the program in 2004. This program changed my career for the better in all domains. First, it gave me the fundamental skill sets to become an independent investigator and start meaningful research efforts. I can’t imagine an academic physician being able to progress through a career without these skills! Second, it provided the knowledge needed to become an effective learner and teacher of medicine based on current medical literature. Evidence based medicine is not easy – it requires a solid understanding of biostatistical and epidemiology concepts. Most importantly, the program introduced me to an enormous number of collaborators and mentors that I’ve continued to work with. Priceless!” – Sam M. Keim, MD, MS
This innovative training program integrates the knowledge and expertise of faculty and staff within the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Arizona Health Sciences Center, and other University of Arizona departments. The interprofessional approach provides opportunities for program scholars to acquire fundamental clinical & translational research skills in a supportive environment.
This graduate certificate program can be successfully completed through taking courses in person or online or in a hybrid fashion of online and in person course work. The complete online training program and the hybrid training program have been specially designed to increase the accessibility of ACTR to busy health professionals and distant learners. ACTR scholars may complete this program in one year (in-person) or two years (online).
Arizona's first and only accredited college of public health, the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health is uniquely situated in the culturally rich and diverse Southwest. Distinguished for our outstanding community-based research and for our focus on eliminating health disparities among populations of the Southwest and globally, the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health offers tremendous opportunities to its students for education, research and community involvement.
The College of Public Health's interdisciplinary activities are enhanced by being part of the Arizona Health Sciences Center with campuses in Tucson and Phoenix. The College consistently ranks among the top five in American Indian and Hispanic graduates and students enrolled among accredited schools of public health, according to recent data from the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health. In addition, the University of Arizona is one of only 62 members in the Association of American Universities, a prestigious organization that recognizes universities that have developed exceptionally strong overall research and academic programs.
College of Public Health
University of Arizona - Main - Tucson
Applicants to the ACTR graduate certificate must hold a graduate degree (eg: DC, DDS, DMD, DO, MD, ND, OD, PharmD, PhD, RN, MS) and possess the appropriate qualifications, experience, and desire to pursue careers in clinical & translational research. Clinical & translational research is multidisciplinary, and scholars in this program should represent diverse academic backgrounds.
Application Materials
Applicants are required to submit the following application materials through the University of Arizona’s Graduate College:
Admission to the ACTR is competitive. All complete applications will be reviewed by the admission committee, which includes the chair and co-chairs of the ACTR. The decision of this committee is final.
Several criteria are used to evaluate each applicant, including:
International applicants are required by the UA Graduate College to submit a TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 90 on the iBT (web-based) test. For students who take the IELTS examination, an overall score of 7 is required, with a score of no less than 6 on any individual band or module. TOEFL and IELTS test scores must be dated within two years of the year of enrollment.
The cost for this certificate includes tuition and fees for a total of 13 credit units, a research ethics workshop, and research experience mentoring. The graduate tuition rates are outlined by the UA Bursar's Office (dependent on state of residence) and there is a $250/unit certificate fee. Prospective scholars who wish to use the Qualified Tuition Reduction (QTR) benefit associated with employment in the three Arizona state universities should contact the Certificate Programs Coordinator for additional information.
Application Deadline
Applications received after the deadline may be considered on a space-available basis. Please be in touch with the Certificate Programs Coordinator for more information.
International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.
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ACTR scholars must successfully complete 13 graduate level credit units coursework and one workshop on research ethics to receive the ACTR certificate of completion. The coursework includes one biostatistics course (BIOS 576a), one epidemiology course (EPID 573a), a one unit seminar (EPID 696T), 3 units of selective and 3 units of elective.
Certificate Courses (see course descriptions below)
EPID 573A Basic Principles of Epidemiology (3)
BIOS 576A Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
EPID 696T Clinical & Translational Research Seminar (1)
One selective course (3):
Three units graduate electives.
All coursework is offered through the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and upon completion of the program may be transferred towards a MPH, MS, or PhD degree within the College.
Elective courses not on the above list must be approved by the Chair of the ACTR. Other possible elective courses can be found using the following link: http://www.publichealth.arizona.edu/students/course-schedule
The ACTR graduate certificate was developed to meet the needs of busy health professionals, and all courses can be completed through online or in-person classroom settings. In addition, the graduate certificate is tailored to met the individual needs of the ACTR scholars, allowing the 13 required credits to be completed in one year (in-person) to two years (online).
Core Courses:
Biostatistics in Public Health (BIOS 576A), 3 credits
This course introduces biostatistical methods and applications, and will cover descriptive statistics, probability theory, and a wide variety of inferential statistical techniques that can be used to make practical conclusions about empirical data. Students will also be learning to use a statistical software package (STATA). Prerequisite: one year of college-level mathematics.
Basic Principles of Epidemiology (EPID 573A), 3 credits
This is an introduction course on basic concepts, principles and methods of epidemiology and how these concepts and methods are applicable in epidemiologic and clinical and translational research. No prerequisite.
Choose electives from:
Other elective choices may be used with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies.
Attendance at semesterly meetings of certificate Scholars and Directors.
A maximum of three units earned prior to admission to the certificate program may be used to fulfill required course work. Transfer work from other institutions will not be considered.
Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.