Free international NIH course on clinical research offers a certificate, with registration open until June 2027
The online course includes about 40 hours of core video lectures, protocol templates and support materials. Registration for the 2026–2027 edition is open until June 25, 2027.
A free, online international course from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (IPPCR), is now open for the 2026–2027 edition. It covers how clinical studies are planned, carried out and shared, and participants who pass the final exam receive a certificate.
The course is a good fit for nurses, researchers, public health professionals and students who want a clearer picture of how studies involving human participants are developed. You can start studying as soon as you register.
Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research
- Institution
- National Institutes of Health (NIH), United States
- Edition
- 2026–2027
- Format
- Online, pre-recorded lectures
- Cost
- Free
- Language
- English
- Certificate
- Yes, with a score of at least 80% on the final exam
- Registration deadline
- June 25, 2027, 12:00 p.m. US Eastern Time (1:00 p.m. in Brasília)
- Video time
- About 40 hours of core lectures plus 9 hours of supplemental content, based on our review of the platform
What the course includes
You’ll find recorded lectures, PDF slides and supporting materials on each stage of a clinical study. The platform also offers tools to help you plan your own research, including a clinical research glossary, protocol templates and a budget spreadsheet, as well as a discussion space where participants can share questions and experiences.
The seven core modules cover:
- Foundations of clinical research, plus ethical and regulatory issues.
- Biostatistics, research questions, study design and sample size.
- Building the team and implementing the study.
- Participant selection and research with vulnerable populations.
- Writing protocols, manuals of procedures and budgets.
- Safety monitoring and adverse events.
- Quality, data management and sharing results.
A supplemental module covers topics such as meta-analysis, survival analysis, questionnaire design and science communication. View the 2026–2027 syllabus.
How much time to set aside
We added up the run times listed for each lecture on the platform:
- 38 core lectures: 39 hours and 40 minutes.
- 10 supplemental lectures: 8 hours and 58 minutes.
- Total video time: 48 hours and 38 minutes.
These figures can help you plan, but they are not official certificate hours. Reading, note-taking, review and the exam will take extra time.
The course is in English. Can I use translation tools?
All videos and written materials are in English. On the platform’s pages, you can use your browser’s built-in translator. For videos that support it, you can turn on auto-translated captions.
We tried auto-translated Portuguese captions in the YouTube player on the lecture about writing protocols, and they worked. Availability may vary from video to video, and machine translation can get technical terms wrong.
How the certificate works
An electronic certificate of completion is awarded to registered participants who score at least 80% on the final exam. According to the platform’s guidelines, the exam has 50 to 80 multiple-choice questions, is open-book and allows up to three attempts. Results are shown right after you submit.
The course does not offer academic credit or continuing medical education (CME) credit. Watching the public videos without registering does not qualify you for a certificate.
Keep these three deadlines in mind
- Registration: by June 25, 2027.
- Final exam submission: by July 22, 2027.
- Course access: until July 30, 2027.
All three close at 12:00 p.m. US Eastern Time (1:00 p.m. in Brasília). Course access ends after the exam deadline, so plan to take the exam well ahead of time.
How to register
According to the NIH, registration is open to people both inside and outside the institution. On the OCRECO portal, select “Create Your OCRECO Course Account”, set up your account and confirm your email. Once you’re logged in, find IPPCR 2026–2027 and click “Enroll in Course”. The NIH recommends using a desktop computer with Chrome, Edge or Safari.
The recommended textbook is optional and sold separately.
Go to the registration portal →
Read the official registration instructions
Information checked on November 6, 2026. Please check the official pages for any updates. This is an independent announcement by Enfermagem Pesquisadora, with no affiliation with or sponsorship by the NIH.