Degree Requirements

Practicum

Completion of a minimum of 240 hours of a practicum in clinical trials is required for the degree. The practicum should begin near completion of formal coursework, and the student needs to meet with the program director to get practicum approval before he/she begins.

The goal of the practicum direct experience component is to provide the student hands-on exposure to clinical research. The student will work with a mentor and will be actively involved in the development, execution, and evaluation of a clinical research project. During the practicum, it is expected that the student will be exposed to clinical research planning, protocol preparation, interaction with Institutional Review Boards, regulatory requirements, selection of subjects/patients for the clinical trial, study monitoring, and data analysis.

The practicum may be completed with a mentor who is actively conducting clinical research studies within a clinical research or hospital setting. It may also be performed under the direction of a clinical research professional within a drug, device, or biotechnology company, a clinical research organization (CRO), or site management organization (SMO) actively involved in clinical trials. Areas within Boston University School of Medicine that may offer practicum opportunities include Dermatology, Cardiology, Pulmonary, Psychiatry,  the General Clinical Research Center and the Goldman School of Dental Medicine.

For more information please email maci@bu.edu or call Stacey Hess at 617-638-5211.

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