Clinical Research Methods course

Course overview

Scientist in white coat using a pipet and beaker

Fellows and junior faculty interested in clinical research are invited to join a fast-paced comprehensive course in clinical research methods.

Bryan Kestenbaum
Leila Zelnick
David Prince
This is unpublished

Overview

We offer an annual, fast-paced, comprehensive course in clinical research methods geared toward fellows and junior faculty in medicine and pediatrics.

The 11-week course teaches fundamental concepts of Epidemiology and Biostatistics with direct application of these methods toward the interpretation of contemporary biomedical research.

The course will be held once per week using a virtual platform. There is no cost to participate in this course. 

Instructors

The course is taught by instructors in the Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute. Dr. Bryan Kestenbaum, professor, is the course director and primary instructor. He will be assisted by Dr. Leila Zelnick, research associate professor, and Dr. David Prince, research scientist.

Topics

 Topics covered by the course include:

Epidemiology Biostatistics
Design and interpretation of randomized trials Descriptive statistics
Causal inference Interpretation of confidence intervals and p-values
Cohort studies Hypothesis testing and statistical error
Case-control studies Study power and its determinants
Confounding and its control Linear and log-link regression
Screening and diagnosis Survival data

2026 Schedule

Date Time Topic/Session Title

Sep 9

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Design of randomized trials

Sep 16

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Interpretation of randomized trials

Sep 23

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Hands-on review of a randomized trial

Oct 7

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Inferential statistics

Oct 14

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Studies of disease etiology

Oct 28

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Case-control studies

Nov 4

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Confounding and its control

Nov 18

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Hands-on review of a cohort study

Nov 25

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Hypothesis testing, study power, survival analysis

Dec 2

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Linear regression

Dec 9

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Screening and diagnosis

Sep 9

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Design of randomized trials

Sep 16

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Interpretation of randomized trials

Sep 23

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Hands-on review of a randomized trial

Oct 7

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Inferential statistics

Oct 14

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Studies of disease etiology

Oct 28

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Case-control studies

Nov 4

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Confounding and its control

Nov 18

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Hands-on review of a cohort study

Nov 25

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Hypothesis testing, study power, survival analysis

Dec 2

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Linear regression

Dec 9

Wednesday

12 – 1 PM

Screening and diagnosis

9/9/2026
12-1pm Design of randomized trials
9/16/2026 12-1pm Interpretation of randomized trials
9/23/2026 12-1pm Hand-on review of a randomized trials
10/7/2066 12-1pm Inferential statistics
10/14/2026
12-1pm
12-1pm
Studies of disease etiology
10/28/2026 12-1pm Case-control studies
11/4/2026 12-1pm Confounding and its control 
11/18/2026 12-1pm Hands-on review of a cohort study
11/25/2026 12-1pm Hypothesis testing, study power, survival analysis
12/2/2026 12-1pm Linear regression
12/9/2026 12-1pm Screening and diagnosis

Registration

Please register for this course by July 31, 2026.