• • Course Information
  • Registration

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The Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (IPPCR) course trains participants on how to effectively and safely conduct clinical research. The course focuses on the spectrum of clinical research and the research process by highlighting biostatistical and epidemiologic methods, study design, protocol preparation, patient monitoring, quality assurance, ethical and legal issues, and much more. This course will be of interest to physicians, scientists, medical and dental students, nurses, public health professionals, and others conducting or planning a career in clinical research.

• Provide an overview of basic biostatistical and epidemiologic methods involved in conducting clinical research.
• Describe the principles involved in the ethical, legal, and regulatory issues in clinical human subjects research, including the role of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs).
• Describe principles and issues involved in monitoring patient-oriented research.
• Describe the infrastructure required in performing clinical research and the steps involved in developing and funding research studies.

GENERAL INFO

• This online course is offered annually at no cost. After registering, participants may begin their study immediately.
• There are approximately 40 pre-recorded lectures (15-90 minutes each), lecture materials, templates, and discussion boards to engage with other participants and the faculty.
• There is an online final exam, which consists of 50-80 multiple choice questions. Participants are permitted to use course materials during the final exam.
• A Certificate of Completion is awarded to each registered participant who achieves a score of 80% or higher on the final exam.
• There is no academic credit or continuing medical education (CME) credit offered for this course.
• Only registered participants are allowed to take the final exam and receive a certificate of completion. However, if you do not wish to enroll in the course, you can still view the individual course lectures through the NIH IPPCR YouTube Playlist or the NIH VideoCast website. Please refer to the course syllabus for the order of lectures.

Important Dates

Registration	9/2/2025 – 6/26/2026 (12PM US ET)
Course Access	9/2/2025 – 7/31/2026
Final Exam Deadline	7/23/2026 (12 PM US ET)