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.
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.
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.
