Postgraduate Course: Study Design (20 Credit) (MCLM11022)
Course Outline
| School | Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This 20-credit elective normally constitutes the last taught course on the clinical trials programme before the MSc dissertation. Study Design is an essential component of a successful clinical trial. the aim of clinical trials is to answer specific clinical research questions and the study design is critical to ensuring that the data is selected, collected and analysed correctly to address the trial aims. |
| Course description |
The study design course on the clinical trials programme will provide course participants with a thorough and practical grounding in the research and design process of a successful clinical trial. This process is defined by the following actions which participants will engage directly with:
- performing a systematic review
- carrying out a quantitative synthesis of trial data
- formulating and developing a research question that can be addressed by a clinical trial
- developing and designing a protocol for a clinical trial
- developing the skills to analyse and interpret trial data
Building upon the topics studied and opportunities to apply theory into practice in the Year 1 course, Introduction to Clinical Trials, this course is designed to provide a substantial further development of the participants' skills and critical understanding of study design techniques and methodologies. Statistical analytical skill in the interpretation of trial data will include the application of analysis methods and use of practical tools and software. The course participants will exit the course with the knowledge and skill to construct a robust research question and design a clinical trial, analyse the data and report trial results.
The main course themes will be represented in 2 units:
- Unit 1 - Literature Review and Quantitative Synthesis of Evidence
- Unit 2 - Design, Analysis and Reporting the Results of a clinical trial
Unit 1 begins with an introduction to the methodology and approach to performing a systematic review followed by hands-on opportunities to practice identifying existing relevant research literature in a specific area. This is a key skill when formulating a research question, since it would be unnecessary (and unethical) to design and embark upon a clinical trial that was exactly the same as one that had been done previously or that is of no interest clinically or academically.
With the robust and comprehensive knowledge of existing research and practical skill of conducting a systematic review attained in Unit 1, in Unit 2 the course participant is ready to formulate a research question and design a clinical trial. Key elements of trial design, analysis and reporting are applied including the statistical analysis of real trial data and its summary report.
At the end of the course the participant will be in a firm position to formulate a research proposal and undertake a successful Masters Dissertation.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | 0 |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 5,
Online Activities 100,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 40,
Formative Assessment Hours 12,
Summative Assessment Hours 10,
Revision Session Hours 8,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
21 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment is undertaken throughout the course with each element structured to provide opportunities for formative feedback at key points. Assessment is designed to be integral to the learning process and triangulates between learning outcomes, learning content and graduate attributes.
Pair project - 25%
Group project - 30%
Individual project - 35%
Reflection - 10% |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Produce a protocol for a systematic review of literature
- Evidence a robust understading of the concept of quantitative data synthesis in general and preform a meta-analysis of trial data using RevMan software
- Critically engage with the principles of trial design from a methodological and statistical standpoint
- Design and develop an outline protocol for a clinical trial from formulation of the research questions to analysis of the results
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Within the work to be undertaken this course will provide course participants with the opportunity to develop or further develop key graduate attributes:
- In-depth knowledge of specialist discipline
- Develop new understanding by exercising critical judgement and challenging knowledge
- Be a self- directed and curious learner
- Solve problems effectively taking ethical, professional and environmental issues into account
- Use information responsibly in a range of contexts
- Collaborate with other, capitalising on their different thinking, experience and skills
- Communicate (written, oral, online) effectively, respectful of social and cultural diversity
- Application of numeracy
- Application of IT |
| Keywords | Study Design,Clinical Trials,Cross-Over,Randomised,Placebo,Double-blinded |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Stuart Ralston
Tel: (0131 6)51 8743
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Danielle Marlow
Tel: 0131 537 3798
Email: |
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