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For Prospective Students

Each semester has a mandatory orientation the Friday BEFORE classes start.

Security clearance tasks must be completed BEFORE Orientation.

Applications for Summer and Fall 2024 are currently being accepted, please see the deadline schedule below and reach out to the program coordinator for more information.

Email PedResearchEducation@hsc.utah.edu to set-up an advising appointment and learn more!

For Prospective Studies

Application Deadlines

  PED 5900 PED 5902 PED 5999
Spring October 31 October 31 November 15
Summer March 3 March 3 March 17
Fall March 25 March 25 June 17

 

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The Academic Associate Program is an undergraduate pediatric research minor where students receive credit while learning how to conduct clinical research designed by University of Utah and Primary Children’s Hospital researchers.

Advising

Students are encouraged to attend advising prior to applying and being accepted into PED 5900. Advising sessions are 30 minutes and conducted by Teams or Zoom. Please email PedResearchEducation@hsc.utah.edu with any questions and to sign up for an advising session.

Core Classes

5900: Clinical Research Methods and Practice I

5901: Clinical Research Methods and Practice II

5902: Clinical Research and Medicine

Elective Courses

PED 5600 : Institutional Review Board Student Volunteer

PED 5650 : Healthcare in America: Past, Present, and Future

PED 5700: Survey of Research-in-Progress I

PED 5701: Survey of Research-in-Progress II

PED 5903: Health Equity & Social Determinants of Health Navigation

PED 5950: Clinical Research Independent Study

PED 5999: Pediatrics Leadership Experience

 


PED 5900: Clinical Research Methods and Practice I

Students receive credit for conducting clinical research designed by University of Utah and Primary Children's Hospital clinicians. Each student must attend a mandatory orientation (always the Friday before classes begin), a weekly class meeting, and 6-12 hours/week of clinical shifts enrolling patients into research studies. Students who participate in this course work in a clinical setting, gain exposure to clinical research, interact with pediatric patients and their families, and develop relationships with Department of Pediatrics faculty. At the end of the course, the student will have gained experience in many aspects of pediatric clinical research, including, but not limited to: professionalism in the clinical setting, study design, Institutional Review Board, informed consent/assent, Good Clinical Practice, ethics, basic statistics, and scientific journals.

PED 5901: Clinical Research Methods and Practice II

This is a course where students receive credit for conducting clinical research designed by University of Utah and Primary Children's Hospital physicians. The course involves 6-12 hours/week of clinical shifts enrolling patients into clinical research studies. There are also bi-weekly class meetings pertaining to clinical research and medicine. Class content will be based on the given semester's studies, as well as student interests. Students who participate in this course have an opportunity to work in a clinical setting, gain exposure to clinical research, opportunities to train new students on clinical research, and develop relationships with Department of Pediatrics faculty. At the end of the course, the student will have increased clinical/administrative knowledge of approximately 12 studies.

PED 5902: Clinical Research and Medicine

This is a course where students receive credit for conducting clinical research and working as a physician extender with the University of Utah and Primary Children's Hospital physicians. The course involves 3 hours/week of clinical shifts enrolling patients into clinical research studies and 6 hours/week working as a Physician Extender. There are also weekly class meetings with course instructors Dr. Maija Holsti and Dr. Howard Kadish. Class content will be based on clinical medicine, case studies, and operations management. Students who participate in this course have an opportunity to work in a clinical setting, gain exposure to clinical research/operations management, opportunities to train new students on clinical research and develop relationships with Department of Pediatrics faculty. At the end of the course, the student will have increased clinical/administrative knowledge of approximately 12 studies and begin to understand the complexity of operations management in the Emergency Department.

PED 5600: Institutional Review Board Student Volunteer

This course will work directly with the University of Utah Institutional Review Board. The students will have the opportunity to participate in the IRB monthly meetings and review assigned research projects. The students will also complete online RATS IRB courses, Human subjects training, Good Clinical Practices, and SIRB training. Through this course, students will be able to work closely with IRB procedures and gain real-world experience in reviewing research. Students may take this course up to two times for credit.

PED 5650: Healthcare in America: Past, Present, and Future

This is an introductory class to the health care system. This course will be of particular relevance and utility to students in pre-medical, pre-law, business, public policy, political science, philosophy, and sociology programs. In the same way that a class on finance or accounting helps you design proper finance and accounting systems, the material for this class will help you understand, interact, and hopefully shape the health care system in the future. This course will also introduce you to a wide variety of academic and vocational opportunities and will be especially valuable for the highly accomplished, highly motivated student regardless of his/her future direction. This class will cover a variety of issues and topics within the context of the health care system. We will cover topics related to the underlying structural elements of the system, such as medical, legal, and business aspects of health care, and how these structural elements combine to affect people and institutions on a broader scale. The class is designed to provide a framework and a common vocabulary with which to interpret and understand the various components of our health care system and its implications for our broader society.

PED 5700: Survey of Research-in-Progress I

This course focuses on the study design and development of pediatric clinical and basic research studies that are currently in progress. Students will be introduced to real-world issues that faculty researchers face. Sessions will include presentations on study design and progress in a variety of specialties including: Cellular Biology, Genetics, Human Physiology, Pathology, Public Health, Healthcare Administration, Biostatistics, and Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Students will also study and learn the importance of responsible conduct of research (RSR), and the role it plays in good clinical practice. Depending on the semester, weekly lectures will take place at either the Williams Building in Research Park, or at Primary Children's Hospital. Students can take course multiple times for credit.

PED 5701: Survey of Research-in-Progress II

Meets with PED 5700. This course will build off of principles covered in PED 5700. Students will continue their study of pediatric basic and clinical research studies that are currently in progress. Lecture sessions will include presentations on study design and progress in a variety of specialties including: Cellular Biology, Genetics, Human Physiology, OB/GYN, Public Health, Healthcare Administration, Biotechnology, Neuroscience and Pediatric ER Medicine. Students will also learn about continuing medical education requirements for physicians through the viewing of pediatric grand rounds. Research admin training modules will also be used in this course. Depending on the semester, weekly lectures will take place either at the Williams Building or Primary Children's Hospital.

PED 5903: Health Equity & Social Determinants of Health Navigation

This undergraduate course delves into the critical intersection of pediatric health, equity, and the social determinants of health (SDOH), equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate and address health disparities among children. This course focuses on pediatric health; however, the student will gain insight into the upstream and downstream impacts of key drivers of long-term, intergenerational poverty, including the racial disparities and structural factors contributing to this perpetual cycle of economic strife. The course explores the multifaceted factors influencing pediatric health outcomes, focusing on the role of social, economic, and environmental determinants in shaping children's well-being and influencing health into adulthood. This course aims to empower students to critically analyze and navigate the complex interplay of social determinants influencing pediatric health. We aim to equip students with practical skills to advocate for health equity among children and adolescents. This course is offered through the University of Utah, Department of Pediatrics and is available to junior & senior undergraduate and graduate students. This course is a Community Engaged Learning (CEL) designated course.

PED 5950: Clinical Research Independent Study

Research credit by student’s arrangement with individual faculty/instructor(s) and the Pediatric Research Education Office. Studies will vary each semester, but will usually be in one of the following pediatric specialties: emergency medicine, hematology/oncology, critical care, medical genetics, immunology & rheumatology, inpatient medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, or cardiology.

PED 5999: Pediatrics Leadership Experience

This course is for student leaders who will assist with classroom & clinical instruction and management under the supervision of a course instructor. Responsibilities will depend on the leadership role, but may include holding review sessions, training students in the clinical environment, facilitating discussions in online courses, leading team meetings, public relations and recruitment, and piloting new clinical research studies in the Emergency Department at Primary Children's Hospital (PCH).

 

Program Contacts

Kristen Cline
Program Manager
801-213-3753
kristen.cline@hsc.utah.edu


Hadlee Young

Program Coordinator

801-646-7982

Hadlee.Young@hsc.utah.edu