Applicants must meet the following requirements before filling out an online application.

• Candidates are encouraged, but not required, to have completed a graduate or professional degree.
• Candidates must have a high level of interest and potential for the pursuit of innovative clinical research as a major focus of their career plan.
• Candidates from departments who ensure 50%–75% of protected time during their pursuit of the degree.
• A minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale
• TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores (when applicable)
• We do not accept GRE or MCAT scores.

Online Application

Begin your application by clicking here.

Personal Information

Our application will ask for basic demographic information.

Education

You will be asked to list all undergraduate and graduate degrees earned, non-degree coursework completed and dates of enrollment. We will also ask for a list of honors and/or awards.

Citizenship and Residency

Our application will require information about citizenship, visa status, and Pennsylvania residency.

Personal Statement and CV/Biosketch

The one-page personal statement should describe your research interests and how the program will benefit your career in clinical research. We also require an updated CV or biosketch.

Demonstrate English Proficiency (when required)

If you are a citizen of a country in which English is not the official language or if you are a citizen of the province of Quebec in Canada, you are required to show evidence of English language proficiency by submitting the official results from one of the following: TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or USMLE & ECFMG (see below). For a list of exempt countries, please review the Exceptions tab on the Pitt Admissions website.

Guaranteed Protection of Time

In order to be eligible for the ICRE degree programs, applicants must have 75% protected time during the first two months of the program. The program recommends that all trainees have at least 50% protected time for coursework for the duration of their degree. All applicants must list their division chief, chair or department head in our application so that we can verify that applicants have the necessary protected time to complete the degree. Whomever is listed in the GPT section will receive an email prompting them to complete a short evaluation and upload a letter stating the applicant has time protected to complete the coursework.

Mentor

Applicants will be asked to identify a research mentor and provide their contact information. Mentors will receive an email prompting them to complete a short evaluation and upload a letter of recommendation.

References

The online application will require two additional professional references to be listed. Applicants provide their reference’s contact information and they are contacted via email. References are asked to complete a short evaluation and upload a letter of recommendation.

At this time, our Master of Science in Clinical Research Program does not meet the F-1 or J-1 visa requirement. Therefore, we are unable to admit students who do not meet U.S. Citizenship or other visa requirements at the time of acceptance into the program.

• Per immigration/government regulations, no more than the equivalent of one (1) class (or three (3) credits per term) may be counted toward the full course of study requirement if the class is taken online. It is expected that the remaining credits counting toward full enrollment are in-person classes. As most of our courses are offered online, our Certificate Program does not meet the US federal government’s "in-person" criteria for I-20 issuance.
• International students must receive immigration documents (I-20 or DS-2019) from the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of International Services to get a visa (F-1 or J-1) to study at the University of Pittsburgh.

The program cannot be completed virtually as an alternative. While many of our courses are held online, students are expected to attend select required courses partially or fully in person. The class format, whether online or in-person, is based on the instructor's discretion.

In addition to completing the online application, applicants must also submit:

Official transcripts from all academic institutions attended (undergraduate, graduate and medical school)

Official transcripts can be sent to the following address:

Institute for Clinical Research Education
Degree Granting Programs in Clinical Research
University of Pittsburgh
200 Meyran Avenue, Suite 300
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Digital transcripts should be sent to icre@pitt.edu.

English Language Proficiency Test Scores (when required)

If you are a citizen of a country in which English is not the official language or if you are a citizen of the province of Quebec in Canada, you are required to show evidence of English language proficiency by submitting the official results from one of the following:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Students taking a version of the TOEFL must score a minimum of 600 on the TOEFL pBTor a minimum of 100 on the TOEFL iBT.
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Students taking the IELTS must score a minimum of 7.00.
• Duolingo score of 120 or higher
• United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG): Students must submit scores from both the USMLE and the ECFMG.

If you have earned a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution in the United States, you are exempt from submitting English language proficiency test results.

After reviewing and screening the applications, the ICRE admissions committee will determine which of the applicants have the appropriate qualifications and the potential to conduct high-quality clinical research. If additional information is required from an applicant, the committee will arrange to interview the applicant.

Admission decisions will be based on the total record of academic accomplishments of each applicant. Preferences will be given to the following:

• Candidates who have outstanding qualifications, including strong research experience, publications, and letters of recommendation.
• Candidates with departments that provide the staff, research support, and facilities to create a high-quality environment for the conduct of clinical research after the candidate completes his or her training.