About the Discipline
[Definition]
Sciences in Clinical Research is a secondary discipline established in November 2013 under the primary discipline of Clinical Medicine. It is a set of theories and approaches that emerge from the interdisciplinary practice of clinical research.
With approval from the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, the PUCRI started enrolling for its master’s and doctor’s programs of Sciences in Clinical Research in 2015.
[Background]
As one of the major indicators of a country’s innovative capacity in medicine, clinical research is widely believed to be of strategic significance to a nation and its development. China, however, undergoing rapid change in the landscape of health challenges and major reforms in its healthcare system, does not face a rosy picture in this arena. For example, diagnostics, treatment, procedures, and equipment of indigenous innovation are few and far between; and many clinical guidelines have been introduced without evidence from the Chinese population. Crux of the problem lies in the absence of systematic training for clinical research in the established education system.
To address this urgent yet unmet need, Sciences in Clinical Research has been launched at the Peking University as a secondary discipline dedicated to producing specialized graduates in this field. This will go a long way in promoting clinical research, medical innovation, and health care in China.
[Student Outcomes]
Graduates from the programs are expected to be clinical research specialists with interdisciplinary competence, who can meet the needs in workplaces such as academic medical centers, multinational or local innovative pharmaceutical companies, clinical research institutions, regulatory agencies, CROs, AROs, or SMOs.
There are currently six research directions under the discipline:
Ethics practice in clinical research;
Development and design of clinical research projects;
Data technology and its application in clinical research;
Statistical design and analysis in clinical research;
Project management and quality control in clinical research; and
Regulations and registration of clinical research on new drugs and medical devices.
[Disciplinary Strengths]
1. Faculty
The full-time faculty of the programs includes 4 professors/research fellows, 1 foreign expert, 1 chief technician, 6 associate professors/research associates, 1 technical associate, and 4 research assistants. Adding to this A-team are 10 visiting professors as well as experts and scholars from regulatory authorities, academic bodies and the industry who give lectures at the PUCRI.
2. Platform
The responsibility for day-to-day administration of the programs rests with the PUCRI, which is China’s first academic institution devoted to clinical research-related education, research, services, training, and coordination. Running dozens of innovative clinical research projects sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), and the Peking University Clinical Research Program, the PUCRI is a well-positioned platform for the training of clinical research specialists.
3. Resources
The programs of Sciences in Clinical Research benefit substantially from the access to resources that Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC) stands to offer. The PKUHSC has 8 affiliated hospitals (seeing over 10 million outpatients and 300 thousand inpatients annually) and 13 teaching hospitals, which provide some of the best care in all specialties. In addition, it has 5 accredited bodies for drug clinical trials that cover most medical fields.
4. Dual mentoring
The programs have received consent from 16 experts to serve as second mentors to the students. These celebrated academic leaders are PUCRI partners both in and off campus, who have extensive experience in undertaking major clinical research projects in their respective fields. As an important supplement to regular mentoring, the second mentors bring more interdisciplinarity to the programs and offer unique opportunities for hands-on practice.
5. International engagement and pedagogical approaches
Through extensive international partnerships, the programs have engaged a wealth of visiting professors and foreign lecturers, who have brought an international touch to the teaching, not least in the jointly-created courses. In addition, the programs have adopted diverse pedagogical approaches, with focuses on the cultivation of critical thinking and problem solving, so as to produce talents that match the needs in the real world.
