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Graduate Academic Unit Certificate in Translational Research Eligibility Requirements | UC Davis CTSC

GAUC-TR Eligibility Requirements

Admission Criteria

Students interested in participating in the Graduate Academic Unit Certificate in Translational Research (GAUC-TR) program must be enrolled in the Ph.D. program of one of the participating graduate programs or groups. Students can complete either the GAUC-TR or the Designated Emphasis in Translational Research (DETR), but not both. Students may apply before or after taking one or more required courses; however, students should apply before completing all required courses. The student’s mentor should be a member of the GAUC-TR faculty. It is recommended that a student enroll during the first two years of their Ph.D. program. For a current list of affiliated graduate programs and groups, please consult this website.

Certificate Requirements

The following required courses will introduce Ph.D. students to clinical and translational research science. They are intended to acculturate trainees to the clinical environment, integrate medical principles into their research, and highlight high-impact clinical studies. It also includes aspects of study design and rigor and reproducibility in translational research.

Curriculum

Required Courses - 12 Units

  • Integrating Medicine into Basic Science (CLH 250) - 4 units (Summer)
    Summer institute consisting of clinical rotations to acculturate students to the human medical environment; integrate medical principles, physiology, and pathophysiology into basic research; introduce high-impact clinical studies related to medicine and health.
  • Critical Assessment of the Biomedical Literature (CLH 211) - 1 unit (Fall, Winter, or Spring)
    This course has a journal club format and exposes students to topical issues and controversies in the design of interdisciplinary translational research, with an emphasis on critical assessment of the biomedical and health sciences literature.
  • Team Science (CLH 207) - 1 unit (Spring)
    This course offers guidance on how best to engage in team science to pursue complex questions, work effectively with team members, and produce high-impact research that meets society's needs.
  • Elective courses: Choose from the approved elective list. – 6 units (Fall, Winter or Spring)

Elective Courses

Students should take six units of elective courses from the approved elective course list. Elective choices should be outside the requirements of the Ph.D. program in which the student is enrolled and should provide additional competency in translational aspects of research. The Chair may consider other courses upon request with justification.

  • CLH 240: Research Integration (1 unit)
  • CLH 210Y: Principles and Methods of Comparative Effectiveness Research (4 units)
  • CLH 298: Precision Medicine in Cardiovascular Disease (2 units)
  • GGG 296 - Scientific Professionalism and Integrity (2 units)
  • NSC 225: Translational Research in the Neurobiology of Disease (2 units)
  • NSC 261C: Topics in Vision: Clinical Vision Science (2 units)
  • PTX 277: Molecular Mechanisms in Cancer and Other Diseases (3 units)
  • PHA 207: Drug Discovery and Development (3 units)
  • PHA 225: Gene Therapy (3 units)
  • PHA 250: Functional Genomics: From Bench to Bedside (3 units)

Sample Schedule

Year One
Summer/Fall - CLH 250 - Integrating Medicine into Basic Science
Winter - CLH 211 - Critical Assessment of the Biomedical Literature
Spring - CLH 207 - Team Science 

Year Two
Fall - 200-level elective course
Winter - 200-level elective course
Spring - 200-level elective course

Certificate Conferral Process

Upon successful completion of the required coursework, students will receive a signed certificate from the School of Medicine and Clinical and Translational Science Center. The GAUC-TR is not listed on official transcripts; however, can be listed on a CV/resume for future career and development opportunities.

Student Advising

Students should consult with their chosen faculty mentor or the GAUC-TR chair to review elective choices and their progress in the certificate. They may also consult the program coordinator for information on applying, course registration, and submitting conferral paperwork with Graduate Studies.

Impact on Time to Degree

The GAUC-TR requires only four graduate courses, one of which may be in the student’s home program, it is estimated that the impact of completing the certificate on the student’s time to degree will be minimal.