The Professional Master’s Program in Clinical Research (MPPC), established in 2016, is characterized by the integration of clinical research with the realities of the field at local, regional, and national levels.

Mission

To train qualified professionals to contribute to the development of Clinical Research and Innovation in Brazil, preparing them to work in clinical research projects and centers, both in academic and professional settings, with an emphasis on technical-operational strategies and the dissemination of knowledge within the healthcare system.

The Program contributes to the education of technically skilled professionals for effective performance in healthcare services, as its scope goes beyond the specificities of research, encompassing theoretical and conceptual foundations of the health field, such as epidemiology and health technology assessment.

In addition, it includes content related to other areas of knowledge, such as management, administration, accounting, statistics, biomedical engineering, law, bioethics, as well as regulatory aspects and good clinical practices.

Objectives

• To train qualified professionals to work in Clinical Research and in the development of Clinical Research Units and Centers at the national level.

• To provide graduate-level education aimed at strengthening the participation of Brazilian Clinical Research Units and Centers in international clinical trials, enabling access of the Brazilian population to innovative treatments not yet commercially available.

• To generate innovative solutions and products for human healthcare.

Research Lines

1 - Bioethics, Law, and Good Clinical Practices

2 - Management, Translation, Innovation, and Evaluation of Health Technologies

3 - Mental Health: Care, Innovation, and Research

The Professional Master’s Program in Clinical Research is composed of required and elective courses, as well as other activities with a theoretical–practical focus, to be completed in a minimum of three semesters.

The minimum course load is 270 hours. To complete the program, students must prepare a dissertation that includes the development of at least one product.

Required Courses
Applied Bioethics in Health Research
Fundamentals of Biostatistics – Introduction
Fundamentals of Epidemiology
Clinical Research and Good Practices
Introduction to Scientific Reading and Writing
Research Seminar I
Research Seminar II – Product Development
Supervised Internship

Elective Courses and Research Lines
Administrative and Financial Management of Clinical Research
Innovation and Health Technologies Management
Clinical Research and Law
Planning and Design of Clinical Trials
Health Technology Assessment I
Health Technology Assessment II
Development and Validation of Health Education Materials/Products
Database Search Tools and REDCap
Evidence-Based Medicine
Quality Management and Implementation Science
Well-Being and Mental Health
Non-Pharmacological Treatment Techniques I (Online)
Contemporary Substance Use Disorders
Violence and Mental Health
Topics in Psychiatry
Psychosocial Care Networks – RAPS

The selection process for admission to the Master’s program takes place annually through a public call for applications.

The call for applications is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2026.

Coordinator: 

Prof. Dr. Leila Beltrami Moreira – lbmoreira@hcpa.edu.br

Program Coordination Committee:

Prof. Dr. Leo Sekine – lsekine@hcpa.edu.br
Prof. Dr. Luciano Palmeiro Rodrigues – lucianorodrigues@hcpa.edu.br
Prof. Dr. Maria Angélica Pires Ferreira – mpiferreira@hcpa.edu.br

Alternate Members:

Prof. Dr. Fernanda dos Santos de Oliveira – fesoliveira@hcpa.edu.br
Prof. Dr. Rafael Leal Zimmer – rzimmer@hcpa.edu.br

Student Representatives:

Paula Steger – psteger@hcpa.edu.br

Selection Committee:

Prof. Dr. Fernanda dos Santos de Oliveira – fesoliveira@hcpa.edu.br

Prof. Dr. Luciano Palmeiro Rodrigues – lucianorodrigues@hcpa.edu.br

Prof. Dr. Pedro Domingues Goi – pgoi@hcpa.edu.br

Alternate Members:

Prof. Dr. Maria Angélica Pires Ferreira – mpiferreira@hcpa.edu.br

Scholarship Committee:

Prof. Dr. Anne Orgler Sordi – asordi@hcpa.edu.br

Prof. Dr. Leo Sekine – lsekine@hcpa.edu.br

Prof. Dr. Vania Naomi Hirakata – vhirakata@hcpa.edu.br

The faculty is composed of an interdisciplinary team that brings together diverse areas of expertise, including professors from UFRGS with academic production and research and/or professional experience in clinical research; HCPA staff professionals with a minimum of five years of experience in the development, structuring, and organization of clinical research services in public institutions; and HCPA researchers holding doctoral degrees, with academic production and research and/or professional experience in the field of clinical research.

This multidisciplinary profile meets the demands and objectives of the Program, aiming to provide a practice-oriented training that enables students to propose and lead changes within their institutions.

Alexandre Simões Dias - Lattes CV

Ana Luisa Petersen Cogo - Lattes CV

Anne Orgler Sordi - Lattes CV 

Eneida Rejane Rabelo da Silva - Lattes CV

Félix Henrique Paim Kessler - Lattes CV 

Fernanda D Athayde Rodrigues - Lattes CV 

Fernanda dos Santos de Oliveira - Lattes CV 

Helena Barreto dos Santos - Lattes CV

Ingrid Hartmann -  Lattes CV 

Isabel Cristina Echer - Lattes CV

Jose Roberto Goldim - Lattes CV 

Leila Beltrami Moreira - Lattes CV 

Leo Sekine - Lattes CV

Lisieux Elaine de Borba Telles - Lattes CV 

Luciano Palmeiro Rodrigues- Lattes CV

Maria Angélica Pires Ferreira - Lattes CV

Maria Paz Loayza Hidalgo - Lattes CV 

Marcia Santana Fernandes - Lattes CV 

Miriam Garcia Brunstein - Lattes CV 

Paulo Roberto Stefani Sanches - Lattes CV 

Pedro Domingues Goi - Lattes CV 

Rafael Leal Zimmer - Lattes CV 

Silvia Chwartzmann Halpern - Lattes CV 

Thiago Pianca - Lattes CV 

Valter Ferreira da Silva - Lattes CV

Vanessa Maria Panozzo Brandão - Lattes CV

Vania Naomi Hirakata - Lattes CV 

Wendy Beatriz Witt Haddad Carraro - Lattes CV

The Professional Master’s Program in Clinical Research benefits from the hospital’s comprehensive infrastructure, with emphasis on the following components:

1. Administrative Infrastructure

The Program is supported by the Teaching Directorate (DENS) of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), located on the 6th floor of Block C. Expanded in 2022, this structure provides an integrated environment combining teaching, healthcare, and research, fostering training aligned with best clinical practices, patient safety, sustainable management, and scientific knowledge production.

Student records are managed through the AGHUse corporate system, which also provides access to the AGHUse Research module for project registration and submission to the Research Ethics Committee (REC). The Program is further supported by institutional areas including financial management, legal advisory, communication, and information technology.

A key partnership with the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) supports diploma registration and the publication of dissertations in the institutional repository (LUME).

2. Physical Infrastructure

The Program’s physical infrastructure includes spaces dedicated to teaching, research, and extension activities, such as:

• 8 classrooms equipped with multimedia resources (capacity up to 30 students);

• meeting rooms, teleconference rooms, computer labs, study areas, and coworking spaces;

• common areas for faculty and students;

• an auditorium with capacity for 190 people, used for academic and scientific events.

A highlight is the HCPA/FAMED Teaching and Simulation Center, with approximately 500 m², equipped with high-fidelity simulators, virtual reality tools, and simulated consulting rooms with audiovisual recording, enabling the use of active learning methodologies.

Additionally, as a teaching hospital, HCPA provides access to its clinical infrastructure, including inpatient units and outpatient services, allowing students to engage in real-world practice settings.

3. Technological Infrastructure

The Program utilizes institutional digital platforms to support academic activities, including:

• Google Classroom and Google Meet for communication and remote learning;

• Solis GE system for academic management (enrollment, records, evaluations, and document issuance);

• Institutional intranet and the “Research Pathway,” which provides guidance for research project development.

Students have access to institutional networks (Wi-Fi and EDUROAM), data analysis software (SPSS, NVivo), and data collection tools such as REDCap.

Access is also provided to scientific databases and evidence-based resources, including UpToDate and the CAPES Journal Portal.

4. Research Directorate

The Research Directorate (DIPE), located on the 5th floor of Block C, provides institutional support through services in research support, clinical research, experimental research, and biomedical engineering.

Key resources include:

• Clinical Research Center (CPC), with dedicated infrastructure for conducting clinical studies;

• Research Support Service, offering biostatistics consulting and methodological guidance;

• Research and Events Incentive Fund (FIPE), which finances institutional projects upon ethical and scientific approval.

All projects developed within the Program are registered in the AGHUse Research system.

5. Information Technology Resources

The Information Technology Management Office (CGTI) is responsible for institutional IT infrastructure, ensuring data security and compliance with the Brazilian General Data Protection Law (Law No. 13,709/2018).

Key systems include AGHUse for hospital and academic management, and the Moodle platform for institutional training.

6. Data Science Center (CCD)

The Data Science Center supports institutional data analysis, promoting data-driven decision-making in healthcare, management, and research.

7. Innovation and Technology Transfer Center (NITT)

The NITT supports activities related to technological innovation, intellectual property, and technology transfer, in alignment with national science and innovation policies. Its activities are integrated into the Program through courses and academic projects.

8. Office of Strategic Projects and Partnerships (EPPE)

The EPPE is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and implementing strategic projects and partnerships, fostering institutional collaboration and the development of research and innovation initiatives.

9. Library

The Program has access to the UFRGS Library System, which comprises 31 libraries. Dissertations are deposited in the institutional repository (LUME).

Students have access to national and international databases (CAPES Portal, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, among others), as well as technical support for literature search and academic formatting.

Access here

Regulations: 

• RMPPC Regulations (until 2024)

• MPTA Regulations

• MPPC Regulations (after 2024 – under revision) 

Forms: 

Internship: 

👉 Internship Information: click here

👉 Internship Schedule: click here

👉 Attendance Record Sheet: click here

👉 Internship Report Template: click here 

Qualification Exam (EGQ): 

👉 Guidelines for the General Qualification Exam: click here

👉 EGQ Request Form Template: click here 

Defense: 

👉Guidelines for Dissertation Defense and Diploma Request: click here

👉Dissertation Defense Request Template:  click here

👉Dissertation Template: click here

👉Confidentiality Agreement: click here

Useful Links 

• Password Reset 

• Student Portal

Tuition Fees 

The total investment is R$ 35,778.73 for a one-time payment at enrollment, or it may be paid in installments of 24 monthly payments of R$ 1,671.87, totaling R$ 40,124.88. 

Payment Information

Scholarship Policy: 

HCPA offers a scholarship program that includes 50% tuition waivers for hospital staff and full scholarships for external candidates (based on socioeconomic criteria or for persons with disabilities). The aim is to broaden community access and support students who may face financial barriers to covering the full cost of tuition.

When available, scholarship selection takes place after the admission process.

Selected candidates may apply according to the criteria outlined in specific calls, which will be published on the program’s website.

Full scholarship policy details:  Click here

click here

Under maintenance.

Being more than a hospital means promoting excellence in teaching, research, and healthcare delivery, generating a direct impact on population health. This principle has guided the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) since its founding: to contribute to transforming healthcare realities through knowledge production, the training of qualified professionals, and a continuous pursuit of innovation.

HCPA develops a wide range of initiatives that reflect its commitment to quality care, scientific advancement, and academic training, consolidating its role as a teaching hospital affiliated with the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and as a reference institution within the public health system.

Learn more about our Master’s program outputs. 

The Professional Master’s Program in Clinical Research (MPPC) at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) trains qualified professionals to work in clinical research, with a focus on the practical application of knowledge across different healthcare settings. The Program has a multidisciplinary profile, bringing together graduates from diverse fields, which fosters integrated work within multiprofessional teams.

Graduates predominantly work in clinical care, clinical research, management, and technology, in both public and private institutions. Some pursue further academic training in doctoral programs, as well as engage in teaching and collaboration with the Program itself.

Alumni follow-up is conducted through surveys, direct contact, and analysis of the Lattes Curriculum, enabling monitoring of their professional placement. In this context, the MPPC contributes to the qualification of professionals and to strengthening clinical research and innovation in healthcare.

Aline Gonzaga de Santana - Lattes CV

Antônio Lucas de Oliveira Góis Almeida  - Lattes CV

Camila Oliveira Bandeira - Lattes CV

Cristiano Augustro Franke - Lattes CV

Filipe Adriel Medeiros Aguirre - Lattes CV

Giórgio Franciscatto Pereira - Lattes CV

Izabel Cristina Aquino Hernandes - Lattes CV

Layan da Silva Dill - Lattes CV

Luana Holz Hass - Lattes CV

Marcela Santiago Biernat - Lattes CV

Paula Juliana Silva Bittencourt - Lattes CV

Paula Steger - Lattes CV

Renata da Fonseca Paixão Sperry  - Lattes CV

Sidia de Mari - Lattes CV