Workshops: Principles and Practice of Clinical Research
Learn about the Statistics, Manuscript Writing, and Immersion Course workshops offered to Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (PPCR) Main Course participants.
PPCR Workshops
PPCR offers a series of optional and intensive workshops for its Main Course participants to further enrich the learning experience and expertise in clinical research.
3-Day Advanced Statistical Workshop
On-Site, July 28 – 30, 2025
- For PPCR Participants: $1,600
- For Non-PPCR Participants: $2,600
The 3-Day Advanced Statistical Workshop will cover how to design and analyze studies using multiple variables (multivariate analysis), to work with data sets, fit a model, conduct statistical tests in STATA, and read and interpret the STATA output. Dates and agenda are tentative and subject to change.
This workshop provides additional statistical training for PPCR participants who want to acquire more advanced methods especially in how to design and analyze studies using multiple variables (multivariate analysis). Participants will review and expand their statistical knowledge and apply their skills to their own research. During the workshop, participants will learn how to work with data sets, fit a model, conduct statistical tests in STATA, and read and interpret the STATA output.
After the workshop, participants will be familiar with the challenges, limitations, and issues of analyzing data and interpreting the results, which will help them to better read the scientific literature, review manuscripts, and write their own manuscripts and grants.
This workshop serves as additional statistical training for participants from PPCR who wish to learn more advanced statistical methods. During the course, STATA (same platform used in PPCR) will be used. At the end of the class participants will understand how to work with data sets, how to fit a model, how to conduct statistical tests in STATA and how to read and interpret the STATA output.
The advanced statistical workshop will have lectures, discussions and practical exercises. The Workshop will be held in Boston, MA.
This course is primarily designed for students who enroll in the PPCR course or have previously completed a PPCR course. Students with statistical knowledge and want to learn how to use STATA are also encouraged to apply. However, priority will be given to current PPCR students.
Participants will have an opportunity to review and expand their statistical knowledge and will be prepared to practically apply their skills to their own research. After the workshop, participants will be familiar with the challenges, limitations and issues of analyzing data and interpreting the results, which will help them to better read the scientific literature, to better review manuscripts and to write their own manuscripts and grants.
Research Manuscript Writing Workshop
On-Site, July 31 – August 1, 2025
- For PPCR Participants: $1,100
- For Non-PPCR Participants: $1,600
This intensive workshop introduces participants to essential concepts and tools for writing and preparing research proposals. Focusing on the PPCR research proposal, participants in this collaborative-learning workshop will gain significant new insight into the logical structures and narrative pathways of persuasive arguments that are essential to effective proposal writing. We will also illustrate the principles for writing clearly and concisely in English through constructive peer review and discussion of participants’ draft research proposals. Dates and agenda are tentative and subject to change.
Topics will include tools for writing and preparing research proposals, insight into the structures, logical arguments, and narrative pathways, tools for writing clearly and concisely in English, strategies for getting published in top journals. There will be exercises to practice these concepts.
The two-day live intensive course will host Harvard professors who will give lectures and host group discussions. Students will participate in practical exercises.
Students who enroll in the PPCR course or have previously completed a PPCR course and are interested in writing research proposals are encouraged to apply for this workshop.
This workshop will provide the fundamentals of research proposal writing and prepare the participant for a successful career in clinical research.
The workshop will be held in Boston, MA
5-Day Immersion Course
On-Site, November 19 – 23, 2025
Please note that the 5-Day Tuition Fee is included in the Main Course tuition. However, travel expenses and accommodation fees are not.
The 5-Day Immersion Course will host six Harvard professors who will review and discuss material presented throughout the year of the 2024 PPCR course in a detailed and intensive fashion. One important part of the 5-Day Immersion Course is that students will review their group projects and specific questions related to their own research with the Harvard faculty. This 5-Day Immersion Course is an important component and is intended to give students hands on experience in clinical trials design and analysis. Students will also present their year-long work to the entire group after discussion with faculty. Note: These dates are tentative and are subject to change.
The 5-Day Immersion Course will offer lectures, small group discussions, individual office hours, manuscript/grant writing classes and practical exercises. Students will review their group projects and work towards an oral or poster presentation. The goal of the live course component is to allow students to interact directly with Harvard faculty, discuss specifically their questions as they relate to the course, their project or their own research and to give them an opportunity to practice the acquired knowledge.
This 5-Day Immersion Course is a live on-site program. Harvard faculty will give live lectures and offer office hours. Participants are also required to participate in group discussions and complete practical exercises. Participants will also work on their group project and present it during the course.
Students who enroll in the 2025 Principles and Practice Clinical Research Immersion Course component are highly encouraged to also participate in the 5-Day course. The course offers an opportunity to interact with Harvard faculty in a one-to-one relationship and to discuss topics in small groups. The 5-Day on-site course is an extension to the PPCR main course component and will focus on those skills required for a scientist in his daily life: Designing a research project, statistics, writing skills, presentation. Students who have previously completed the PPCR course are also eligible to attend; however, priority is given to current PPCR students.
During the 5-Day on-site course students will closely interact with Harvard faculty and with clinical researchers from different countries and fields. The goal of this program is to promote personal and professional growth and to make clinical researchers more effective in their work. This course should be the first step in becoming an independent research scientist. We also expect that this program’s interactive environment will promote connections among participants and foster future collaborative multi-center projects.
The 5-Day on-site course will review and expand on some parts of the PPCR course (including statistics). The group project will be a key component, which will include discussion and presentation. Additionally, there will be a manuscript/grant writing workshop, manuscript review workshop and additional lectures relevant to working as a research scientist.
Program Schedule
Below is the 2023 schedule for the 5-Day Immersion Course. The 2025 schedule will likely be similar, with slight variation in dates and content. Please revisit our website at a later date to view the 2025 schedule.
1:00-2:00 Program Registration
2:00-3:00 Opening and Introduction
3:00-6:00 Exercise – Felipe Fregni
6:00-7:00 Coaching Meeting
7:00-9:30 Coaching Dinner – Felipe Fregni
8:00-12:30 Rotations
12:30-2:00 Lunch
2:00-3:30 Exercise – Felipe Fregni
3:30-4:30 Wellness/Sport Break
4:30-7:30 Manuscript Writing Workshop – Donald Halstead
7:30-9:00 Coaching Dinner – Felipe Fregni
8:00-12:30pm Rotations
12:30-2:00pm Lunch
2:00-3:30pm Exercise – Felipe Fregni
3:30-4:30pm Wellness/Sport Break
4:30-7:30pm Manuscript Writing Workshop – Donald Halstead
7:30-9:00pm Coaching Dinner – Felipe Fregni
6:30-7:00am Wellness/Sport Break
7:30-12:00pm Rotations
12:00-1:00pm Lunch
1:00-2:00pm Exercise – Felipe Fregni
2:00-3:00pm Coaching Meeting
3:00-6:00pm Manuscript Writing Workshop – Donald Halstead
6:00-7:30pm Ceremony Preparation Break
7:30-8:30pm Dinner
8:30-11:00pm Ceremony
7:30-9:00am Group Project Final Presentation
9:00-10:30am Breakfast/Checkout
10:30-1:00pm Group Project Final Presentation