Program Overview

Master of Science in Clinical Research Degree Program

The Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) degree program is offered by the UCSF Training in Clinical Research (TICR) program. This program provides students in the UCSF School of Pharmacy PharmD degree program the opportunity to earn a master of science in clinical research (MSCR) degree.

About the Program

The Master’s Degree in Clinical Research is a two-year course of study intended for advanced pre-doctoral students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculty members who wish to master clinical research methods and pursue independent research careers. The program includes instruction in advanced epidemiologic and biostatistical methods and specialized topics such as:

• Outcomes research
• Medical informatics
• Molecular methods in clinical research
• Decision and cost-effectiveness analysis

Requirements for the program include:

• A comprehensive review of the literature in the scholar’s field
• Presentation of original work at a national scientific meeting
• Publication of a peer-reviewed manuscript Scholars will work closely with mentors in their home departments and preceptors chosen from the TICR faculty. This is a self-supported program, and financial aid for programs that are not State-supported is very limited.

Prerequisites

To be eligible for the program, applicants must:

1. Possess a PharmD degree or be currently enrolled as a student pharmacist and will have completed at least two years of training in their respective professional school prior to enrollment in the master’s program.
2. Be able to devote at least 70% of their time to this program and to the conduct of their own research during August to May in at least two academic years.
3. Have an established relationship with a research mentor.
4. Affirm the Professional Conduct Statement (signed during orientation).

Application and Duration

Application to the program is made in winter/spring, and the MSCR program begins the following summer. The program requires 36 quarter units and is completed over a period of two years.

Program Structure

The program includes:

• Completion of the graduate division application
• Completion of a detailed master’s degree program application The Office of Student Affairs strongly recommends that applicants wait to apply until winter/spring of their third year and that they complete their PharmD before undertaking this course of study.