Education
Scholars will be accepted for a three-year period. Through coursework, practical experiences, interaction with renowned substance use disorder and HIV prevention researchers, methodologists, statisticians and leaders in the field, the Yale-DAHRS program will prepare participants to work effectively across disciplines; think creatively about drug use, addiction and HIV prevention research, generate ideas and test hypotheses.
Competencies include formulation of a research question, research design, monitoring and safety issues, data analysis, oral and written presentation to scientific and lay audiences, manuscript and grant preparation, human subjects and ethical conduct, informatics, effectiveness in multi-disciplinary groups and teamwork skills, and career development.
Scholar effort and time will be divided between formal instruction (didactic curriculum) and individual mentored research. Class time comprises 80 percent of the first summer, 40 percent of the remainder of the first year, and 30 percent during the second year. Classes are small, fewer than 15 students, and are highly interactive. The Master of Health Sciences (MHS) degree is designed to be completed in two years (see: MHSR Program). Required coursework is outlined below. In addition to coursework, the scholar will complete at least two mentored research projects focused on a specific aspect of substance use/addiction/HIV research. Scholars will also publish three to five papers, present at a national meeting and apply for independent funding as they transition to independency. Each scholar is paired with a team of research and academic mentors and other contributing faculty/content experts, to establish a strategically tailored plan to attain their individual objectives.
Coursework required of MHS students in the Drug-use and Addiction and HIV prevention (DAH) track is outlined in the table.
| Course Title | Professor | Duration | Contact Hours |
| IMED 645: Biostatistics | Desai | Year 1 | 73.5 |
This course is designed to develop expertise in biostatistical concepts and applications. Scholars will learn to 1) design appropriate statistical analyses for diverse data sets and studies; 2) conduct bivariate and multivariable statistical analyses; and 3) interpret and critique statistical methods used in medical journal literature. Topics include descriptive and simple statistics (one and two-way analyses including ANOVA and simple linear regression; non parametric analysis), biostats labs; Multivariate analyses (linear regression, logistic regression, survival analyses); and hierarchical analyses, Poisson regression, general linear models, repeated measures and longitudinal analysis, factor analysis, Bayesian analysis and met-analysis.
| IMED: Clinical & Health Services Research Methods | Desai/Curry | Year 1 | 67.5 |
Description:
This course is designed to build expertise in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methodologies. Scholars will learn to 1) calculate and interpret epidemiological parameters; 2) Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various study designs; 3) design study methodology to examine diverse topics in clinical and health services research, using both quantitative and qualitative methods; 4) Critique published studies in terms of their research methodologies; and 5) Understand the implications of various methodological approaches for internal and external validity of the study. Quantitative & qualitative methods, case control studies, interactive, evidence-based medicine, clinical prediction rules, measures of effect and association.
| IMED 790 Seminar: Topics in Addiction Medicine and HIV | D'Onofrio, O'Connor, D. Fiellin, L. Fiellin, Bernstein | Year 1 & 3 | 48 |
Description:
Provides Scholars from diverse backgrounds with a common understanding of the basic principles of addiction medicine. Drawing on our diverse faculty from emergency medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, public health, and other disciplines this seminar will give Scholars an introduction to the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, treatment, and prevention of a full spectrum of substance use disorders and HIV with an emphasis the most common drugs of misuse, alcohol, and tobacco. Fall semesters will focus on core topics: epidemiology, screening, brief intervention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies (including counseling and pharmacotherapy) related to drug, alcohol, tobacco use/misuse, and HIV. The spring semester will focus on common medical and psychiatric co-morbidities, pain and addiction, and special populations (4 sessions) and will also feature an "advanced seminar series" organized by Scholars with faculty support designed to address topics of high relevance to their research interests including tools and measurements, and challenges with SA research (4 sessions). Teaching methods will emphasize case-based interactive formats. K12
| IMED 790 Seminar: Topics in Addiction Medicine | O'Malley/Barry | Year 2 | 24 |
Description:
DAHRS Scholars will attend the Core Substance Misuse Seminar in Addictions Psychiatry. This course covers core material on the neurobiology of alcohol and drug misuse, animal behavioral models and behavioral pharmacology, neuroimaging, and genetics of addictive disorders. K12
| IMED 630: Ethical and Practical Issues in Clinical Investigation | Binder | Fall Semester; Year 2 | 15 |
Description:
Addresses topics central to the conduct of clinical investigation, including ethics of clinical investigation, scientific fraud, technology transfer, and interfacing with the pharmaceutical industry. Practical sessions include: scientific presentations and teaching, NIH peer review process, journal peer review process, and career development: models of academia. Guidelines and a framework for the clinical investigator to obtain funding for, conduct, and present a clinical study are provided in addition to instruction in Responsible Conduct of Research required by the NIH. Format consists of didactic presentation followed by discussion.
| IMED 655: Writing Your First Grant | Shapiro/Fiellin | Spring Semester; Year 2 | 20 |
Description:
Students will gain intensive, practical experience in evaluating and preparing grants, including introduction to NIH study section format. The course gives new clinical investigators the essential tools to design and to initiate their own proposals for obtaining grants to do research and to develop their own careers. The course is limited to students who plan to submit grant proposals (usually for either a K-23 or a K-08 grant).
| CBB 740a: Seminar in Clinical Informatics | Brandt/Abujarad | Year 2 | 10 |
Description
With an informatics approach, researchers can learn to apply best practices to structure, identify and report data and resources in standardized methods, and using standardized vocabularies to enhance their usefulness and interoperability, enable concept based discovery.
Topics include: clinical information systems, clinical decision making and decision support systems, Bioinformatics, modeling and storage of biomedical information, standardized vocabularies for biomedicine, usability and user interface, information extraction and information retrieval, security and data quality, and software engineering.
| IMD 791 Seminar: Topics in Professional Development | Post/D'Onofrio | Fall Semester; Year 2 | 36 |
Description:
This seminar provides professional development and leadership tools for research. Topics covered include: Developing a funded research program, how to write a publication for peer review, career mapping, identifying and constructing courses of action for organizational challenges, working in multidisciplinary teams, leadership development, and speaking with the media. Research active faculty will lead practical sessions. The seminar will provide successful navigation of the academic tracks and address strategies to develop leaders and promotion to senior ranks. Format consists of didactic presentations followed by discussion and workshops.
| IMD 792: DAHRS Mentored Research/Integrating Experiences | PIs, Core, Executive | All years | 60 |
Description:
Participation in these sessions enables the Scholars to (1) Present their own research at various stages of development and completion and receive constructive feedback; (2) Respond to colleagues' questions and feedback effectively in group settings; (3) Critique peers' research and provide constructive feedback for further development; and (4) Learn to communicate clearly and concisely in a group setting. Scholars will meet monthly. Meets biweekly with Core Faculty & Jointly quarterly with other Yale K12 scholars.