Growing Leaders in the Lab

HMS Global Education has launched a new master’s degree in clinical investigation

Image: iStock

Image: iStock

Physicians from around the world who are interested in furthering their research careers in clinical investigation have a new option at Harvard Medical School, which is launching a new Master of Medical Sciences (MMSc) degree program in Clinical Investigation (MMSCI), set to begin in July 2016.

MMSCI is offered by the HMS Office of Global Education. The program is targeted at post-graduate physicians, junior faculty and fellows interested in launching a research career, and it is also open to all health professionals worldwide. HMS Global Education is currently seeking applicants for the inaugural class.

Get more HMS news here

“Throughout the world, there is a great need for researchers who can push the boundaries of science and innovative clinical care,” said Finnian McCausland, associate director of the MMSCI program. “We want to be at the forefront of training future leaders in clinical research.”

The MMSCI program builds on the HMS tradition of mentored research training and on the innovative educational techniques developed by other recent Office of Global Education offerings, McCausland said.

The MMSCI curriculum interweaves three intensive workshops with longitudinal research and classroom experiences that emphasize working in teams and integrating theoretical knowledge with hands-on skills.

The core of the program is a mentored research experience in the lab of an HMS-affiliated researcher where students will produce their own research.

The core of the program is a mentored research experience in the lab of an HMS-affiliated researcher where students will produce their own research.

McCausland, who is also an HMS instructor in medicine and a clinical researcher in the field of kidney disease, noted that the mentored research experience he had during his own training was instrumental in launching his research career.

Another important goal for the program is to help build the capacity for clinical research around the globe by sharing the expertise of Harvard-affiliated faculty with a multinational student body, the leaders of the program said.

“Harvard Medical School is known as a world leader in biomedical and clinical research and education,” said Ajay Singh, director of MMSCI and HMS associate dean for global education and continuing education. “This program will allow us to share that expertise with the next generation of research leaders from around the world.”

“This program adds to Harvard Medical School’s long tradition of training in clinical and translational investigation and moves that tradition forward with new models of pedagogy,” said

David Golan, HMS dean for basic science and graduate education.

The 2016-2018 program will begin on July 1, 2016, and end in May 2018 with graduation. The program requires a 75 percent time commitment over the course of two years, and students must be in Boston to complete course work and research requirements.

Also, Harvard Catalyst continues to accept applications for its new Program in Clinical and Translational Science (PCaTS), a certificate program made available exclusively for the HMS community.

For more information about these programs, including dates of upcoming in-person and online information sessions about MMSCI, visit the programs’ websites:

Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation (MMSCI)

Program in Clinical and Translational Science (PCaTS)