Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation

Program Overview

Theory and Practice of Biomedical Research for Tomorrow’s Independent Investigators

Major medical advances don’t occur by accident. The journey from bench to bedside is fraught with challenges that require practical skills, critical thinking, and hands-on experience. The next generation of independent investigators must be able to lead clinical and translational research efforts in an environment where funding is scarce, needs are urgent, and competition is fierce. Harvard Medical School’s Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation program not only equips students with world-class training in medical discovery methods, but also features a parallel mentored research experience at a Harvard-based institution in Boston. 

This two-year, full-time master's degree program offers a new three-year, part-time option available to Boston-area students who are eligible for part-time, residential enrollment. Both options combine innovative learning approaches to pedagogy designed by Harvard's renowned faculty. Each student has the opportunity to perform cutting-edge research in a Harvard-affiliated laboratory under the direct supervision of a Harvard faculty mentor.

The program is designed to stimulate critical thinking and help students develop practical skills, network, and learn new approaches to handle uncertainty in patient-oriented research. To achieve these aims, students from both tracks—Clinical Investigation and Translational Investigation—learn together. In the second year, students in each track then customize their learning along with their interests. Case studies and laboratory exercises help reinforce the theory, while skills are developed and refined with practice-oriented tasks.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Construct focused research questions and formulate testable hypotheses
2. Design and implement well-designed clinical and translational research studies
3. Analyze, interpret, and present clinical and translational research data
4. Write effective grant applications and papers and evaluate scientific literature

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