The American Society of Hematology (ASH) Clinical Research Training Institute (CRTI) is an intensive, year long program to provide a broad education about clinical research methods. The program consists of a summer week-long workshop, a December meeting in conjunction with the ASH annual meeting, and a follow-up meeting in the spring at ASH headquarters. For purposes of this grant application however, we will focus on the summer workshop. This week consists of morning plenary sessions, afternoon breakout sessions, and one-on-one mentoring opportunities. The CRTI is geared toward hematology and hematology-oncology fellows in training and junior faculty (assistant professors, lecturers, instructors) at academic medical centers in the U.S. and Canada. The goal of the CRTI is to produce a group of researchers, armed not only with ideas for clinical hematologic research, but the tools and access to resources to make their ideas a reality. The five components of the summer workshop are: 1) principles of clinical research methodology, 2) current issues in translational research, 3) opportunities for clinical research careers in hematology, 4) small group working sessions with faculty to develop trainees' research protocols, and 5) career retrospectives by leaders in hematology clinical research. The curriculum spreads each component throughout the week, to integrate concepts with careers. On the first day, the trainees will present their research proposal; on the final day, they will again present their proposal, emphasizing the improvements made during the small group sessions. One of the most valued aspects of the program is the role of the faculty. It is through this near one to one ratio with the trainees that ASH intends to foster and sustain interest in clinical hematologic research and thereby help stimulate the career development of future clinical researchers in hematology.

R13HL082191

2005-08-19

2006-07-31