Fellowship in Clinical and Translational Research Ethics

The Fellowship in Clinical and Translational Research Ethics (CTRE) Program was created by the Institute of Human Values in Health Care (the Institute) as part of the CTRE Core of the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute (SCTR). The program is designed to provide health professionals who are interested in clinical research ethics with sufficient background in that discipline to warrant special recognition in the form of a certificate in clinical and translational research ethics.

The program is offered entirely online and may be completed over one or two years. The faculty of the CTRE Fellowship Program comprises a wide variety of health care professionals at MUSC, other universities, and the National Institutes of Health, who are dedicated to providing the best possible program. With their expertise, the program boasts a broad spectrum of specialties. The certificate of completion is a valuable indication of competence in research ethics on CVs and grant applications, especially given the increasing value placed on research ethics performance, education, and credentials. For MUSC faculty and staff, Fellowship completion may count towards promotion and tenure (College of Medicine, College of Nursing). Graduates of the program include junior and senior faculty, administrators, masters and doctoral students, research coordinators, and technical personnel.

Fellowship Application Process

Health care professionals or those training in a health care profession who are interested in clinical and translational research ethics must complete an application form. Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university by the time of matriculation is required. Applications are accepted and reviewed by the CTRE Fellowship Admissions Committee on a year-round basis; however, the program matriculates only during the fall semester each year. Please refer to the application process webpage for more information.

Applications should be submitted to the CTRE Fellowship Director: Dr. Andrea Boan at boan@musc.edu (843-876-1064).

Fellowship Requirements

The program comprises four courses (all courses are available online):

Ethical Issues in Clinical Research (ETH 750): a one-credit hour online course offered in the fall semester. This course focuses on the core competencies in the responsible conduct of clinical and translational research.
*The MCR 750 course may be substituted for ETH 750.
Advanced Ethical Issues in Clinical Research (ETH 789): a one-credit hour online course offered in the spring semester. This course is intended as a follow-up course for ETH 750 with emphasis placed on current ethical issues associated with clinical and translational research and practice.
*A mentor guided research project on a topic in CTRE that results in a publishable manuscript may be substituted for ETH 789. A research project proposal to include the mentor’s contact information must be submitted to the Director for consideration before the start of the spring semester for the ETH 789 course.
Clinical Research Ethics Seminar Series (ETH 738): a one-credit hour online course offered in the fall semester. This course involves asynchronous seminars and debates from clinical and translational research investigators and administrators or other invited guests.
*The IP 738 course may be substituted for ETH 738.
Key Ethical Concepts in Clinical and Translational Investigation (ETH 705): a two-credit hour online course offered in the spring semester. This course analyzes more deeply ethical issues in such areas as data management, vulnerable populations, ethical issues in alcohol and drug abuse research, international clinical research, relations between law and research ethics, moral agency, and social determinants of health.

The Fellowship can be completed over one or two years. Those who elect to take the two-year track should complete ETH 750 and ETH 789 during the first year and ETH 738 and ETH 705 the second year. Exceptions may be made with the Director's approval. (See Table)

Semester	1 Year Track (credit hours)	2 Year Track (credit hours)
Fall 1	ETH 750 (1) ETH 738 (1)	ETH 750 (1)
Spring 1	ETH 789 (1) ETH 705 (2)	ETH 789 (1)
Fall 2	--	ETH 738 (1)
Spring 2	--	ETH 705 (2)

Fall semester courses run August-December. Spring semester courses run January-May. No courses offered during Summer semester.

Using a variety of instructional methods, these courses provide a broad and deep background in research ethics, sufficient to earn special recognition in the form of a certificate. The program covers all clinical and translational research ethics competencies.

Course Registration and Associated Fees

Instructions on course registration will be provided to those accepted to the fellowship. Registration for all courses will go through the Office of Enrollment Management (OEM) with records reflected on official MUSC transcripts. Registration process and associated fees depends on the individual’s status as a Degree-seeking or Non-degree seeking student, as outlined below and will be determined on a semester-by-semester basis.

Degree Seeking Status

If you are currently registered for any degree-granting program in any college at MUSC, whether full-time or part-time, then you are considered a degree seeking student and thus will be taking the fellowship courses above and beyond what is required for your degree. However, several of the fellowship courses have been designated as Interprofessional Education (IPE) courses and thus may count towards your IPE curriculum requirements depending on your respective program.

Full-time and part-time tuition and fees vary by each individual academic program and college.

Part-time students pay tuition by the credit hour and have additional fees as designated by their respective college/program; and thus will be required to pay tuition and fees accordingly for the additional fellowship courses not part of your college/program curriculum. Please see Schedule of Academic Charges.

Full-time status varies by semester, college, and academic level. Please review the full-time status policy for your respective program. Most programs do not require additional tuition and fees for elective courses if enrolled as a full-time student, paying full-time tuition and fees for their program.

Students, please contact your respective program administrator or OEM administrator to confirm your enrollment status and any potential tuition and fees that may apply to you for the additional fellowship courses.

***Please note that you are NOT required to complete the fellowship curriculum prior to graduating from your degree program. Once you graduate, you may transition to the non-degree seeking status for which those rules would apply for the remainder of the fellowship.

Non-degree Seeking Status

If you are NOT currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program at MUSC, then you are considered a non-degree seeking student. This includes the following:

All those not affiliated with MUSC
MUSC medical residents, fellows, and post-docs (not enrolled in a degree program)
MUSC faculty, staff, or alumni (not enrolled in a degree program)

***Please note: if you are enrolled in the MSCR/CCR or any other degree program then you are considered a degree seeking student and thus the degree seeking rules above would apply despite your dual role as MUSC faculty/staff/trainee. After graduation you may transition to non-degree seeking status. As well, if you begin the fellowship program as a non-degree seeking student, and later enroll in a degree program at MUSC, then you will be considered a degree seeking student for that semester, and thus the rules and fees based on your respective program would apply. Your status is determine on a semester-by-semester basis.

Currently, the Provost has agreed to waive all tuition and fees for non-degree seeking students for the fellowship courses. As noted above, you will now have an official MUSC academic transcript!