DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): As increasing numbers of Americans avail themselves of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), the need grows for clinical research to evaluate their safety and efficacy. It has been difficult to meet this need because few medical practitioners in either allopathic or CAM modalities are specifically trained to conduct clinical research. Six departments at three major, established health institutions in the Twin Cities metropolitan area have established the Minnesota CAM Research Consortium to offer the proposed Minnesota Program for Clinical Research in CAM. The Program includes didactic curriculum in research methodology, with particular emphasis on applications in CAM. Completion of the didactic curriculum leads to an M.S. degree at the University of Minnesota either in Clinical Research, or Health Services Research and Policy, with a Graduate Minor in Complementary Therapies and Healing Practices. The Program also includes monthly symposia on topics relevant to CAM clinical research, plus an intensive summer program reviewing all aspects of the research process. Finally, the Program includes Trainee involvement in an on-going CAM clinical research project. Participating institutions are Hennepin Faculty Associates, Northwestern Health Sciences University, and the University of Minnesota. The lead organization is the world-renowned Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research, at the Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation of Hennepin Faculty Associates. Dr. Richard Grimm is Program Director. The Program will produce a highly trained cadre of clinical investigators with the knowledge and experience to becoming leading researchers in CAM.