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West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Ph.D. in Clinical & Translational Science

Image of current CTS PhD students

The PhD program in clinical and translational science has been developed in response to the fundamental changes taking place in biomedical science research and education in North America and worldwide, and will consist of a set of core required courses and research experiences in basic, population, and clinical sciences.

There is an increasing and much stronger emphasis on interdisciplinary research to improve clinical care and population health outcomes. Achieving this will require much closer collaboration, integration, and alignment of basic, clinical, and population sciences: basic science research will need to be more immediately applicable to clinical problems, and health challenges observed in populations will need to be more rapidly integrated into rigorous basic and clinical science investigation. 

The remainder of the student’s didactic coursework will be guided by a highly flexible framework that permits tailoring to the student’s interest and background. All aspects of the program will emphasize the integration of basic, population, and clinical approaches across all aspects of the student’s didactic education and research experiences, including their Dissertation Committee, and dissertation research. 

This program will be suitable for:

  • Students with an undergraduate degree 
  • Students who have already completed graduate work (at the master or doctoral level) 
  • Medical students in the MD/PhD program 
  • Practicing clinicians 
  • Other biomedical professionals seeking expertise in and preparation for careers in clinical and translational research. 

This program consists of 99 credit hours and is intended for full time students. Students completing this program will be well prepared to develop academic, research careers in clinical and translational science, careers in government organizations, and / or careers in the private sector (e.g., drug companies, biomedical research companies etc.). 

Program Goal:

The goal for this degree program is to develop biomedical researchers who can integrate findings, information, and observations across basic, population, and clinical sciences, to accelerate and transform how we improve the health of individuals and populations. 

Program Highlights:

WVU Clinical and Translational Science graduate student receives the WVU Foundation Distinguished Doctoral Scholarship

Kent Marshall, a graduate student in the WVU Clinical and Translational Science Ph.D. program, is one of eight graduate students from across the U.S. and beyond selected to receive support from WVU Foundation scholarships. The Office of Graduate Education and Life announced four doctoral students selected to receive the WVU Foundation Distinguished Doctoral Scholarship and four master’s students chosen to receive the Carl del Signore Foundation Scholarship. The awards help students defray costs and support the completion of their theses or dissertations. Learn more here.

Contact Information:

Jodie Saunders, Professional Development Senior Coordinator