BRIDGE: Patient to Investigator Training

Welcome to the COPD Foundation’s BRIDGE Patient to Investigator Training webpage. The BRIDGE Patient to Investigator Training is meant to support people with COPD and caregivers who want to work with researchers and become part of study teams and contribute to clinical research and clinical trials. The COPD Foundation believes it is important to have people with COPD and caregivers become working members of study teams and offer their perspective and unique firsthand knowledge of their disease.

What does it mean to be part of a study team?

Being part of a study team means you work directly with researchers, participate in study team meetings, help design the study and support the study as it is taking place. Members of a research study team are often called "investigators" — hence the title to this training is BRIDGE Patient to Investigator Training. We hope this training will provide you with the confidence and information needed to become a patient investigator on a research team — if you are interested in doing so.

Who created the training?

The training was designed by staff of the COPD Foundation in collaboration with patient and caregiver partners, researchers, and other key stakeholders.

What is the training like and who can do the training?

The training is broken up into 9 required modules and 1 optional module that start below. The training can be done from the comfort of one's home at a pace that is appropriate for you. The training is open to everyone to view, but if you want to ultimately become a "patient investigator" and part of the official COPD Foundation BRIDGE Research Partners Group and be offered opportunities to work on study teams, you will be asked to email bridge@copdfoundation.org with your contact information at the completion of the training.

Once you have started the training if you have any questions, please reach out to bridge@copdfoundation.org. If you are unsure if you want to complete this training, please feel free to view any of the modules below before making a decision.

If you want to become part of the COPD Foundation BRIDGE Research Partners Group:

  • Go through each of the training modules in order. Completion of the training is done at your own pace; you can start and stop your training at any time and finish later.
  • Once you have completed all the training modules, please email your contact information to bridge@copdfoundation.org.
  • You will be contacted by a member of the COPD Foundation research staff to complete the certification process and be listed as a part of the COPD Foundation BRIDGE Research Partners Group.
  • Completing the BRIDGE training and obtaining the certification makes you eligible to join a study team when the sponsor requests the COPD Foundation to provide potential patient investigators.
BRIDGE Training | Intro Video

Introduction Module

Introduction Module:

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

BRIDGE Training | Module 1 - What it Means to be a Patient Investigator

Module 1 - What it Means to be a Patient Investigator

Module 1:

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

BRIDGE Training | Module 2 - Building Confidence

Module 2 - Building Confidence

Module 2:

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

BRIDGE Training | Module 3 - Types of Research Studies

Module 3 - Types of Research Studies

Module 3:

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

BRIDGE Training | Module 4 - Designing, Doing and Sharing a Research Study

Module 4 - Designing, Doing and Sharing a Research Study

Module 4:

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

BRIDGE Training | Optional Module - Overview of Statistical Analysis

Optional Module - Overview of Statistical Analysis

Optional Module

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

Khan Academy Videos:

BRIDGE Training | Module 5 - Specific COPD-Related Research Information

Module 5 - Specific COPD-Related Research Information

Module 5

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

BRIDGE Training | Module 6 - Study Documents

Module 6 - Study Documents

Module 6

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

BRIDGE Training | Module 7 - Protections for Research Participants

Module 7 - Protections for Research Participants

Module 7

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

BRIDGE Training | Module 8 - Overall Assessment

Module 8 - Overall Assessment

Module 8

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

BRIDGE Training | Module 9 - Conclusion

Module 9 - Conclusion

Module 9

Resources & Takeaway Documents:

Congratulations

Post-Training

Congratulations on completing the BRIDGE Patient to Investigator Training!

Once you have completed all the training modules, please email your contact information to bridge@copdfoundation.org, You will be contacted by a member of the COPD Foundation research staff to complete the certification process and be listed as a part of the COPD Foundation BRIDGE Research Partners Group.

Congratulations again!