Research training is an integral part of the fellowship and may be in an area of clinical research, translational research, or basic science. Early in the first year of fellowship, trainees are exposed to the research activities of investigators in the Adolescent Medicine section as well as in the Children’s Health Services Research, Adult Infectious Diseases Division, the Section of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes and the Kinsey Institute for Gender and Reproduction. Areas of interest include sexuality, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, eating disorders, juvenile justice, mental health, psychological impact of cancer and diabetes. Faculty and fellow research is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, industry and private foundations. By the end of the first quarter of training, the fellow selects a mentor and the initial research project. Using extant data within the section, the fellow and mentor prepare an abstract for presentation at the scientific meeting of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Sufficient time, support, and guidance are given during the fellowship program to allow for completion of a meaningful research project. Fellows select their primary research topic in the second quarter of Year 1. Fellows typically have presented their research findings at national meetings of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine and have been the first author of one or more manuscripts in journals such as the Journal of Adolescent Health Care, Pediatrics, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
The goals of these activities are to provide instruction in research and application of research skills through the conduct of a mentored research project. The fellowship program is a highly structured research program for the fellow providing instruction in research methods, ethics, statistics and mentorship during the completion of a research project. In addition, fellows may elect to enroll in the Masters of Science program in Clinical research (CITE) offered by IUPUI and coordinated by the School of Medicine.
Three graduate level courses are required for all first year fellows; one course (G651) teaches biostatistics and the other two (G660 and G661) provide instruction in research ethics, research methods, basic epidemiology, elementary statistics and research design. All fellows take the course in mentored research (G664) for which they receive graduate credit if they have elected the master degree program (CITE) and courses in Scientific Communication (G655) and Grant Writing (N802).
Examples of other CITE courses available to fellows include advanced research ethics, advanced biostatistics, epidemiology, and Neuropharmacology. Fellows may elect other courses offered by the university. Past fellows have elected graduate courses in Medical Sociology to gain competency in qualitative research methods, Women’s Health and other statistical courses.
Courses include:
- Clinical Research Methods
- Clinical Trials
- Biostatistics
- Grant Writing
- Research Communication (scientific writing)
- Research Ethics
- Mentored Clinical Research
- Clinical teaching seminars
- Professional development seminars
Fellows may also select courses through Indiana University. Completion of all courses qualifies fellows for the Master of Science in Clinical Research degree through the Indiana University Graduate School. Fellows may also elect to pursue a MPH through the School of Public Health. For more information on the MPH, Click here.
