title: Developing future clinician scientists while supporting a research infrastructure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Supporting clinical research is a national priority. Clinician scientists are rare and clinical trials in academic medical centers (AMC) often fail to meet enrollment goals. Undergraduate students interested in biomedical careers often lack opportunities to perform clinical research.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Describe an innovative undergraduate course that supports clinical research in an AMC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The course, Clinical Research Methods and Practice, offers undergraduate students the opportunity to learn clinical research through didactic and practical experiences. The students in turn support clinician scientists' conduct of clinical studies in an AMC. Clinician scientists receive research support and participate in mentoring sessions for students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over seven semesters, 128 students have assisted in 21 clinical studies located in outpatient and inpatient units of two hospitals. Students identified and screened eligible patients, collected clinical data, assisted in obtaining informed consent, and transported specimens. Many of the clinician scientists have met their enrollment goals and several have been top-enrollers in multicenter clinical trials as a result of student support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Clinical Research Methods and Practice class addresses barriers to clinical research in AMC. This may be a model for institutions committed to mentoring students early in their career and to developing infrastructures for clinical research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. maija.holsti@hsc.utah.edu
authors.forename: Maija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holsti
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Adelgais
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.forename: Kammy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Carrie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Byington
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D012108:Research Personnel; D013334:Students