Overview
Tufts Medical Center investigators are invited to apply for the Blue Star Investigator Certificate Program.
This 10-module, non-credit certificate program is designed to train new investigators in clinical research, good clinical practice, and federal and local regulatory practices. The program is tailored to meet the needs of new investigators who may have previously served on a study team, but who have not yet been a PI on an industry-sponsored study or initiated their own study. Topics covered will include study protocols and budgets, regulatory processes, participant recruitment, and clinical trial maintenance.
The Blue Star Program is a blended learning experience requiring online pre-work and active participation at weekly live sessions. The Fall 2022 program will run on Wednesdays from 10:00AM-noon from September 14, 2022 through November 16, 2022.
Enrollment is limited and supervisor approval is required.
Completion of the CITI Biomedical Research Training and the GCP for Clinical Trials with Investigational Drugs and Medical Devices Training (approximately 6-12 hours) prior to September 7, 2022 is a required prerequisite for all accepted participants.
To apply
Please note: Applications have closed
Acceptance decisions will be communicated by mid-June, 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the goal of the program?
The goal of the Blue Star Investigator Certificate program is to prepare investigators at Tufts Medical Center (Tufts MC) to carry out their responsibilities as principal investigators in accordance with federal regulations and our local institutional processes. This program will promote best practices for the conduct of quality research.
What is the value of this certificate?
Those successfully progressing in the program will receive a certificate of completion presented by Tufts CTSI. This institutionally recognized program will present a tangible value to prospective sponsors, mentors, or collaborators as evidence of your readiness to conduct research.
Who should enroll in the program?
Tufts Medical Center Investigators at any level interested in mastering the fundamental practices of study management and conduct are welcome to apply. The curriculum has been designed to target investigators in the early stage of building their research portfolio seeking to become an independent investigator. A cohort of 10-12 learners will be recruited to participate fully in mixed didactic and hands-on exercises. The course will facilitate and encourage ongoing peer mentoring and support after the course ends.
What do I need to do to get the certificate?
You will be expected to attend and actively participate in all 10 live modules, on Wednesdays, 10:00AM-noon starting on September 14, 2022 and ending on November 16, 2022. Before most live sessions, you will be asked to complete about one hour of online pre-work. The online pre-work will be essential to inform active participation in the live session group exercises.
What are the prerequisites?
You will need to complete the CITI Biomedical Researchers training and the CITI Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training before Wednesday, September 7, 2022. The prerequisite work takes about 6-12 hours to complete. You will need to submit proof of CITI training completion.
What will I learn during the program?
Our curriculum covers essential steps from implementing a study protocol to study close-out. Whether you plan to conduct an industry-sponsored protocol, or a protocol of your own, you will be able to anticipate the series of actions expected of you for a successful execution of your study.
Course outline and time commitment
Total time will include 20 hours of live training and about one hour per week of online pre-work (30 hours total). You will agree to attend all sessions and acknowledge that participation data is used for reporting purposes according to the program metrics.
Please communicate with your supervisor to arrange adequate time to complete scheduled program activities.
Fall 2022 curriculum
Module 1: Introduction to the Blue Star Program and PI Responsibilities
In this module, participants will receive an introduction to the Blue Star Certificate Program and Tufts CTSI resources, and will learn about investigator responsibilities. During break-out groups, participants will meet with potential mentors.
Module 2: Study Protocols and Budgets
This module will identify the major components of a study protocol and a study budget, and describe the relationship between the protocol, the budget, and study feasibility. Participants will learn about resources available from Research Administration and the Compliance Department. During break-out groups, participants will develop a budget based on a study protocol.
Module 3: Research Design Workshop
In this module, participants will have an opportunity to work on their own research protocols and get individualized feedback on study design questions.
Module 4: Regulatory Review
In this module, researchers will learn about IRB review and approvals, common mistakes in protocols and consent forms, and practice writing in plain language. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss ethical challenges in clinical research.
Module 5: Recruitment and Retention
The goal of this module is to understand the importance of integrating community and stakeholder perspectives into research and how stakeholder and community engagement can support study recruitment and retention. Participants will explore strategies for recruiting and retaining participants and discuss methods for including underrepresented populations in research.
Module 6: Audit Readiness
This module will provide an overview of maintaining study documentation, assessment and monitoring, preparing for an audit, and maintaining “audit readiness”. Participants will learn to spot common errors found during audits and the PI’s role in audits.
Module 7: Adverse Event Reporting
This module will practice thematic scenarios applicable to all studies. Participants will learn about major grading systems such as Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events, adverse event reporting criteria, and SUSARs. Participants will adjudicate a series of AEs, SAEs, and unanticipated problems for reporting to sponsors and regulators.
Module 8: Leading and Managing Research Teams
This module will go over topics related to managing a research team, including roles, responsibilities and expectations, and managing difficult conversations.
Module 9: Study Close-out and Next Steps Workshop
This module will cover necessary steps for study close-out and the introduce next steps for research, including disseminating your study results. Learners will also start thinking about how to pitch their study idea to funders and begin drafting their pitches.
Module 10: Pitching Your Ideas and Program Reflection
In this final module, participants will present a 3-minute pitch of a clinical study idea to a panel of mentors and receive feedback. The module session will conclude with a program reflection discussion.
Program evaluation
If you enroll in the program, you will be asked if you are also willing to share your evaluation data as part of a research study. Participation in the research study is not required to participate in the Blue Star Program.
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact Project Manager Patricia Reyes.