Program Overview
By helping researchers improve their skills in clinical research in a highly interactive environment, this program will promote personal and professional growth and help participants become more effective in their work. We also expect that the interactive environment of the program will promote connections between participants and help foster future collaborative, multi-center projects.
The History of PPCR
50+
Countries Alumni
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17
Years fostering cutting-edge education
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4,700+
Participants have successfully completed our program
Main Course
This program covers the basics of clinical research (how to formulate a research question, select study population, randomization and blinding methods) to statistical methods (data distribution and classification, statistical tests, sample size calculation, survival analysis, missing data and meta-analysis); data collection, monitoring and reporting (include training in manuscript writing); and study designs (observational studies, non-inferior and adaptive designs and randomized clinical trials).
Who Should Attend
Applicants usually have a graduate degree or a health care professional degree (MD, MPH, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Nursing, Physical and Speech Therapy, Pharmacy, and Dentistry) and come from several countries, given that participants can partake in the program remotely in their own city. Although participants can take this program locally, interaction with other students and instructors and participation in the program activities is a requirement for its successful completion. On-site participants must be present during the weekly videoconference activities.
Investment in the future
By helping researchers improve their skills in clinical research in a highly interactive environment, this program will promote personal and professional growth and help participants become more effective in their work. We also expect that the interactive environment of the program will promote connections between participants and help foster future collaborative, multi-center projects. Our goal is to offer a highly interactive learning environment for international clinical research training while creating a global network of clinical researchers to foster future collaboration in clinical research.
Program Content
Our program covers topics from the basics of clinical research (such as how to formulate a research question, how to select a study population, and randomization and blinding methods) to statistical methods (data distribution and classification, statistical tests, sample size calculation, survival analysis, missing data, and meta-analysis); data collection, monitoring, and reporting (including training in manuscript writing); and study designs (observational studies, non-inferiority and adaptive designs, and randomized clinical trials).
Learning Objectives
At the end of the program, participants will be able to design clinical trials and interpret results from statistical analysis in an effective manner, collect data appropriately, use the basic functions of a statistical software package, choose appropriate basic statistical tests, run statistical analysis, critically read and understand a research paper, develop clinical research based on integrity principles, discuss the basics of article publication and the reviewing process, and describe more complex clinical trial designs.
Participating Centers
Click here to view the international site centers.
Faculty Members
Click here to view the faculty members for the Main Course.
3-Day Advanced Statistical Workshop
The 3-Day live intensive course will cover how to design and analyze studies using multiple variables (multivariate analysis), to work with data sets, fit a model, conduct statistical tests in STATA, and read and interpret the STATA output.
The Workshop will be held in Boston, Massachusetts, from July 28-30, 2025. This workshop provides additional statistical training for PPCR participants who want to acquire more advanced methods especially in how to design and analyze studies using multiple variables (multivariate analysis). Participants will review and expand their statistical knowledge and apply their skills to their own research. During the workshop, participants will learn how to work with data sets, fit a model, conduct statistical tests in STATA, and read and interpret the STATA output.
After the workshop, participants will be familiar with the challenges, limitations, and issues of analyzing data and interpreting the results, which will help them to better read the scientific literature, review manuscripts, and write their own manuscripts and grants. Agenda subject to change. Note: These dates are tentative and are subject to change.
Overview
Who Should Attend
This course is primarily designed for students who enroll in the PPCR course or have previously completed a PPCR course. Students with statistical knowledge and want to learn how to use STATA are also encouraged to apply. However, priority will be given to current PPCR students.
Investment in the future
Participants will have an opportunity to review and expand their statistical knowledge and will be prepared to practically apply their skills to their own research. After the workshop, participants will be familiar with the challenges, limitations and issues of analyzing data and interpreting the results, which will help them to better read the scientific literature, to better review manuscripts and to write their own manuscripts and grants.
Program content
The Workshop will be held in Boston, MA.
Faculty Members
Research Manuscript Writing Workshop
Topics will include tools for writing and preparing research proposals, insight into the structures, logical arguments, and narrative pathways, tools for writing clearly and concisely in English, strategies for getting published in top journals. There will be exercises to practice these concepts.
The Workshop will be held in Boston, MA from July 31-August 1, 2025. This intensive workshop introduces participants to essential concepts and tools for writing and preparing research proposals. Focusing on the PPCR research proposal, participants in this collaborative-learning workshop will gain significant new insight into the logical structures and narrative pathways of persuasive arguments that are essential to effective proposal writing. We will also illustrate the principles for writing clearly and concisely in English through constructive peer review and discussion of participants’ draft research proposals. Agenda subject to change. Note: These dates are tentative and are subject to change.
The Research Manuscript Writing workshop is an intensive two-day course offered to participants from Boston and throughout the world who enroll in the PPCR main course component or have previously completed a PPCR course.
The two-day live intensive course will host Harvard professors who will give lectures and host group discussions. Students will participate in practical exercises.
Overview
Who Should Attend
Students who enroll in the PPCR course or have previously completed a PPCR course and are interested in writing research proposals are encouraged to apply for this workshop.
Investment in the Future
This workshop will provide the fundamentals of research proposal writing and prepare the participant for a successful career in clinical research.
Program content
Topics will include tools for writing and preparing research proposals, insight into the structures, logical arguments, and narrative pathways, tools for writing clearly and concisely in English, strategies for getting published in top journals. There will be exercises to practice these concepts.
Location and directions
The workshop will be held in Boston, MA
5-Day Immersion Course
The Principles and Practice of Clinical Research 5-Day immersion course will be held from November 19-23, 2025. Please note that the 5-day Immersion Course is included in the tuition, however, travel expenses and accommodation fees are not.
The 5-Day Immersion Course will host six Harvard professors who will review and discuss material presented throughout the year of the 2024 PPCR course in a detailed and intensive fashion. One important part of the 5-Day Immersion Course is that students will review their group projects and specific questions related to their own research with the Harvard faculty. This 5-Day Immersion Course is an important component and is intended to give students hands on experience in clinical trials design and analysis. Students will also present their year-long work to the entire group after discussion with faculty. Note: These dates are tentative and are subject to change.
Who Should Attend
Students who enroll in the 2025 Principles and Practice Clinical Research Immersion Course component are highly encouraged to also participate in the 5-Day course. The course offers an opportunity to interact with Harvard faculty in a one-to-one relationship and to discuss topics in small groups. The 5-Day on-site course is an extension to the PPCR main course component and will focus on those skills required for a scientist in his daily life: Designing a research project, statistics, writing skills, presentation. Students who have previously completed the PPCR course are also eligible to attend; however, priority is given to current PPCR students.
Investment in the future
During the 5-Day on-site course students will closely interact with Harvard faculty and with clinical researchers from different countries and fields. The goal of this program is to promote personal and professional growth and to make clinical researchers more effective in their work. This course should be the first step in becoming an independent research scientist. We also expect that this program’s interactive environment will promote connections among participants and foster future collaborative multi-center projects.
Program Content
The 5-Day on-site course will review and expand on some parts of the PPCR course (including statistics). The group project will be a key component, which will include discussion and presentation. Additionally, there will be a manuscript/grant writing workshop, manuscript review workshop and additional lectures relevant to working as a research scientist.
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