Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research
The Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics at the UMKC School of Medicine offers a Graduate Certificate Program in Clinical Research. The graduate certificate program is comprised of the core courses offered in the Master of Science in Bioinformatics Clinical Research Curriculum. It is a valuable credential for health care professionals (e.g., junior faculty, clinical fellows, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, clinical research coordinators) who want in-depth exposure to essential tools needed to advance their research career, but who are unable to devote the requisite time to a full master degree program.
The Graduate Certificate Course Work
The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research curriculum includes 15 credit hours of required coursework. The program consists of five core courses (3 credit hours each) from the Master of Science in Bioinformatics Clinical Research Emphasis curriculum. The courses are:
Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Baccalaureate Degree
- GRE Scores
- TOEFL Scores
Applicants concurrently completing a clinical training program must provide a letter of support from their clinical program director with a statement that release time will be given for the course work.
How to apply
Complete the UMKC online application for graduate admission found at http://www.umkc.edu/admissions/graduate.asp
In addition to the UMKC application for admission, you must also submit the following for a complete application:
- College or university transcripts
- GRE scores
- TOEFL scores (if applicable)
- A one page goal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
Physicians in residency or fellowship programs are required to submit a letter of recommendation from the director of their program. Applicants concurrently completing a clinical training program must provide a letter of support from their clinical program director with a statement that release time will be given for the course work.
Cost
The usual UMKC graduate tuition and fees apply. To view graduate tuition and fees, please go to http://www.umkc.edu/adminfinance/finance/cashiers/graduate-tuition-fee-rates.asp. Applicants who are employed by UMKC may be eligible for educational fee assistance.
Also be sure and note that we have established a scholarship program for clinical faculty and fellows. Visit this portion of our website should you wish to apply for tuition support.
Frequently asked questions
What if I begin the certificate program and then decide I want to apply to the Master of Science in Bioinformatics program for the clinical research emphasis area?
Since the Graduate Certificate Program includes the core courses required to complete the full master degree, Certificate Program graduates will be offered the option of applying to the full masters program. If accepted, they will be able to use the 15 credits of course towards fulfilling the credit requirements for the full degree (36 credits).
Can I audit the courses or just take one or two courses instead of the complete certificate curriculum?
Students must register and pay tuition through the UMKC registration system in order to attend the courses offered by the Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics. Individuals may complete single courses for credit. In the event the individual later decides to apply to the graduate certificate program, only credits from these specific courses may be applied to the certificate requirements.
Do I have to take all 5 courses?
Yes, each course provides an essential element toward completion of the certificate; thus all five courses are needed to obtain the graduate certificate.
Can I substitute some of my clinical experience or other courses for some of the required courses?
If a student has completed a similar course from an alternative Clinical Research program they may petition to have the course accepted as a substitute for a UMKC requirement. However, adequate documentation from the course will be needed in order to assess its equivalency with the UMKC required course; only courses deemed equivalent will be accepted. Clinical experience will not be substituted for curriculum course requirements.