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Summer Institute on Design and Conduct of Randomized Clinical Trials
Involving Behavioral Interventions

Eighth Annual Institute
July 13-25, 2008

Application Due Date: February 8, 2008

 

Table of Contents

  • Objective
  • Dates and Location
  • Content
  • Organizer, Sponsor, and Faculty
  • Eligibility for Fellows
  • Costs and Stipends
  • Application Procedures & Form
  • Additional Information






Objective





 

To provide a thorough grounding in the conduct of randomized clinical trials to researchers and health professionals interested in developing competence in the planning, design, and execution of clinical trials involving behavioral interventions.





Dates and Location





 

July 13-25, 2008

The course will be held at the Airlie Conference Center in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Northern Virginia, providing a serene atmosphere for work and thought in a community of scholars. Airlie, VA is approximately 60 minutes driving time from Washington, D.C., and is close to recreational areas such as Shanandoah National Park and Luray Caverns. Lodging, meals, and instruction will take place here.





Course Content





 

The curriculum will enable participants to:

  • Describe the principles underlying the conduct of unbiased clinical trials.
  • Contrast biomedical vs. Behavioral interventions in the context of RCTs.
  • Evaluate and interpret critically the literature on RCTs for behavioral interventions.
  • Contrast and evaluate alternative research designs in terms of their appropriateness.
  • Contrast and evaluate methods for monitoring, coordinating, and conducting RCTs.
  • Select appropriate outcome measures, enrollment strategies, and randomization techniques
  • Design a specific research project in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team





The Organizer, Sponsor, & Faculty





 

The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the organizer and sponsor of these annual summer training institutes. 

Faculty of summer institutes consist of leading authorities in their fields, with extensive prior experience in the conduct of major clinical trials, with specializations in psychology, behavioral medicine, psychosomatic medicine, gerontology, oncology, cardiovascular diseases, mental health, statistics, clinical trials, and other areas.







Eligibility Requirements for Summer Fellows





 

Priority will be given to individuals who already have their PhD or MD (or equivalent degrees) and have at least two years of subsequent research experience.  Applicants should not yet have achieved a tenured position at their institution.  Beyond these eligibility criteria we are seeking researchers who have demonstrated research potential and experience and who will clearly benefit from behavioral randomized controlled trial training.

Further, those who have extensive research experience will only be considered after more junior investigators have been evaluated.  Preference is also given to individuals who are not employees of NIH.  While we will consider and may even accept exceptional applicants who do not meet these criteria, priority will go to those who do.

Due to the limited number of spaces in the course, applicants must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States, or must have been lawfully admitted to the United states for permanent residence (i.e., possess a currently valid Alien Registration Receipt Card I-551, or other legal verification of such status).  Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Reasonable Accommodations: If you are accepted to attend the summer institute and require reasonable accommodations for disabilities to participate in this activity, at least 60 business days before the course begins please contact Ms. Monica Duda at 301.577.0244, extension 56 or mduda@blseamon.com.





Costs and Stipends





 

The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH, will pay for travel to and from the Summer Institute site, room and board, and for course materials. Family members may accompany participants at their own costs.







Application Procedures

All application materials must be submitted online. Instructions and the application form are posted at  http://www.blsweb.net/app2attend/

Questions about application procedures should be directed to Ms. Monica Duda at 301-577-0244, ext. 56 or mduda@blseamon.com.

NEW Due Date: February 8, 2008


LISTSERV: Join the electronic mailing list for forthcoming announcements by
  • Sending an e-mail message to listserv@list.nih.gov.  
  • The body of the message should read SUBscribe RCT-L [your full name]. The message is case sensitive; so capitalize as indicated! Don't include the brackets.
  • The subject line should be blank
  • For example, for Robin Smith to subscribe, the message would read SUBscribe RCT-L Robin Smith
  • You will receive a confirmation of your subscription along with instructions on how to use the LISTSERV (including how to unsubscribe).
Contact Information:

Do you have questions about the course? Please address them to:

Ronald P. Abeles, Ph.D.
Special Assistant to the Director
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
National Institutes of Health
Bldg. 31C, Rm. B1C19, MSC 2027
Bethesda, MD 20892-2027
Telephone: 301.496.7859
Email: abeles@nih.gov





Webmaster: Dana Sampson

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