Pune-based Bilcare Research Academy will be commissioning its second training centre for clinical trial management in the country at Bangalore on December 17. The company has invested Rs 3 crore for establishing the state-of-the-art training centre.

The Academy kicked off its maiden training operations in Pune in June this year to offer one year full time Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Trial Management accredited by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP), USA to train 50 students in the first batch and 48 in the second batch. The syllabus has been designed specifically for India in association with experts from ACRP and the Bilcare.

The Bangalore campus of Bilcare Research Academy will have 100 students with 50 students in each batch. The course will commence this month soon after its opening. The second batch will start in June 2008. It will be supported by a team of 10 faculty with a teacher student ratio of 1:10.

The Academy is set up within the premises of the Bangalore Diabetic Hospital which has a full fledged clinical research centre and students will have the advantage of witnessing the clinical research during the course of 10 months after they will also be provided an internship stint at the facility for hands-on-training thereafter. Talks are on with other hospitals that have in-house clinical research centres for similar associations.

"We intend to make the Bilcare Research Academy at Bangalore as the nerve centre for its future initiatives. This is the second Academy of the 20 such centres planned in South East Asia by Bilcare to offer PG diploma in Clinical Trial Management accredited by the ACRP,USA. Bangalore was the right choice because of the presence of a large number of leading Clinical Research Organizations in the country. With clinical trial outsourcing gaining momentum, the city required the access to quality, trained manpower, Santosh Hegde, president, Clinical Research Services, Bilcare Limited told Pharmabiz.

The programme has been designed to create global leaders in the area of clinical trial management. The eligibility is for graduate and post graduate healthcare professionals from all segments of medicine including dentistry and veterinary besides life sciences, stated Dr Medha Joshi, principal, Bilcare Research Academy.

Among the advantages for students who qualify out of Bilcare is the certification by ACRP. The campuses at Pune and Bangalore are wi-fi enabled, auditorium, Inno Café and a well stocked library. The class rooms have dedicated work tables with power outlets for student's laptops provided by the Academy. There will also be experts from ACRP addressing classes via video conferencing and faculty from Pune and Bangalore conducting sessions. The students are also provided with a one-year membership of ACRP which brings them into the fold of clinical research professionals, said Aradhana Uthappa, professor, Bilcare Research Academy.

In addition, the Academy will offer short-term and week-end courses for Special Investigators, Basics in Good Clinical Practices, and customized corporate training. Soon after the Bangalore opening, ACRP Chapter at Singapore will also take off on December 18, paving the way for Bilcare Research Academy to set-base overseas and start its teaching programme there from March 2008.