Program Structure

Once enrolled in the PORTAL program, you will be introduced to the thought processes used by patient-oriented clinical and translational researchers, and taught the techniques they use. We offer a specific yet flexible program structure in a collaborative environment that offers challenge and invites inquiry.

Curriculum and Research

The curriculum focuses on helping you gain critical thinking skills and offers a solid foundation for conducting independent patient-oriented research studies.

Core Competencies & Learning Objectives include the ability to:

• Recognize major clinical, translational, and public health research problems
• Describe observational and experimental clinical research methods and study designs
• Identify measurement and methodological issues in incorporating basic science, translational, clinical, and population variables into clinical research
• Implement data analysis and management
• Employ written and oral scientific communication and dissemination skills
• Explain, assess and employ research ethics

For your thesis research, you will pursue original scholarly research on a subject of your choice, guided by a faculty mentor and the program directors. This entails formulation of a research question, design and conduct of a research plan, analysis of the resulting data, and presentation of the findings.

PORTAL Program Curriculum