The Clinical Translational Sciences (CTS) graduate program is designed to provide a strong foundation in clinical translational sciences for post-baccalaureate or postgraduate students with either a clinical or basic science background. Students may earn either a Master of Science (M.S.), or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in CTS from the University of Arizona. While the CTS program is housed in the College of Medicine - Tucson, students may earn the Ph.D. either at the University's main Tucson campus or at the Phoenix biomedical campus and may work with a faculty mentor from any of the University's Health Sciences colleges..
The program is intended to provide the foundation for a research career in the Clinical Translational Sciences. To achieve this aim, the student requires: (a) an adequate base knowledge of biostatistics and CTS coursework that is specific to the student's health-related discipline or clinical interest, (b) experience and training in research, culminating in an independent research project, and c) professional development including experience and training in research ethics, presentation and publication of research findings and preparation of grant applications. For Ph.D. students, a Minor program of study is also required in a discipline that is relevant to the student's long-term scholarly goals.
The mission of the Ph.D program is to train the student to be a skilled researcher who can successfully address both clinical and basic science aspects of translational research. The program provides an avenue for the student to gain experience in and exposure to the diverse areas of the clinical translational sciences and offers a mechanism for the student to obtain in-depth knowledge in a specific area of biomedical research. To this end, students will work with a faculty mentor, contributing to the research done in the mentor's lab or research group and leading a specific laboratory or clinical research project that will form the basis of the student's dissertation.