Our comprehensive approach includes coursework in clinical research design, conduct, analysis, interpretation, reporting and dissemination. Training also focuses on:

• Basic sciences for clinical medicine
• Health economics and services organization (the anatomy and physiology of health care delivery)

The program includes directed, independent research. Most of our alumni who completed this concentration hold faculty appointments in academic medical centers.

Program Length

Our students typically enroll part-time and complete the degree in three to four years. They often take one course each semester (fall, spring and summer), and there are four to eight students in this concentration at a time.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, applicants must:

• Hold a M.D., D.D.S., Ph.D., Pharm.D. or equivalent health professional “terminal” degree from an accredited college or university; applicants with international M.D. degrees are considered on an individual basis.
• Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
• Submit a letter detailing career goals and how the M.S. with a clinical research concentration applies to those goals
• Provide at least three letters of recommendation

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

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Degree Requirements

Students must complete at least 33 semester credit hours, which include core coursework, elective courses and directed independent research, and one culminating applied examination. No thesis is required.

Students must take three or more courses with our Ph.D. and M.S. students in other tracks. This requirement allows students with clinical experience to mutually benefit from those with backgrounds in math, statistics or computer science.

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