An evaluation plan to assess the process and outcomes of a learner-centered training program for clinical research

In 1994, the National Center for Research Resources' Committee on Addressing Career Paths for Clinical Research reported that insufficient training in research methods, inadequate mentoring, and inappropriate timing of training presented major barriers to the development of clinical researchers. The National Institutes of Health responded to the need for additional training programs by supporting 5 7 institutions through the Clinical Research Curriculum Award (K30) Program. The ability to assess the success of these programs depend, on the nature and extent of their evaluation plaits. Evaluation plaits for clinical research training programs should include means of assessing both process and outcomes of a program's implementation in its formative and summative stages. This article describes the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Clinical Investigator Preparatory: Program and an evaluation plan that incorporates process and outcome assessments based on a theoretical framework of adult and professional education.