MS917-20 Understanding Evidence in Practice
Introductory description
This module provides students with a conceptual framework of research undertaken in clinical and medical settings. It will focus on responsible, ethical research and prepare students to search for evidence, evaluate literature and examine the design of research.
Module aims
This module enables students to:
- Demonstrate familiarity with different types of research.
- Articulate a research question and appreciate the ethical implications of different study designs.
- Appraise published research.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
The outline syllabus gives an indication of the sort of topics that will be covered in the module.
- Introduction to evidence-based medicine.
- Exploration of study design in clinical and medical research.
- Designing research questions using accepted frameworks.
- Refining research questions through appraisal of literature.
- Assessing strengths / weaknesses and biases of study designs.
- Ethical and regulatory frameworks of clinical research.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- 1. Describe the different types of clinical research and evaluate the characteristics of a ‘good’ research question.
- 2. Evaluate the key responsibilities of clinical researchers.
- 3. Critically appraise the stages involved in conducting clinical research.
- 4. Compare and contrast different types of quantitative and qualitative study design and principles for selecting an appropriate research design to answer a research question.
- 5. Critique the importance of ethics and regulation in research.
- 6. Evaluate the tools available to assess the quality of, and critically appraise, published research.
- 7. Explain and justify the mechanisms to develop and record a search strategy and effectively use online library resources.
Interdisciplinary
Clinical practice necessitates collaboration across disciplines, and it is appropriate that this is reflected in the Masters in Clinical Research. The module is designed to appeal to a range of clinical professionals, including medical, nursing, pharmaceutical, bioscience and other disciplines.
International
The course will recruit from (and be delivered in) multiple territories, and the content will be tailored to the students’ own territories, reflecting local and international standards for clinical research integrity.
Subject specific skills
Subject-specific skills that will be obtained from the module include:
- Appreciation of research methodology as it relates to clinical research.
- Ethical awareness of issues when planning or executing clinical research.
- Application of clinical evidence to the practice of research.
Transferable skills
Improvement of a range of transferable skills, including:
- Written communication.
- Organisation and time management.
- Independence and initiative.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Online learning (scheduled sessions) | 30 sessions of 1 hour (15%) |
| Online learning (independent) | 130 sessions of 1 hour (65%) |
| Assessment | 40 hours (20%) |
| Total | 200 hours |
Private study description
No private study requirements defined for this module.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| Clinical Research Report | 70% | 30 hours | Yes (extension) |
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A 2,000-word written report demonstrating the development and execution of a systematic search of the literature related to clinical research. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Clinica Research Examination | 30% | 10 hours | No |
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A 60-minute examination of the fundamentals of clinical research and evaluation, comprising MCQ and Key Feature Problem questions. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
The Written Report will be marked and moderated using a standardised rubric based on the following assessment criteria:
- analysis
- application
- communication
- evaluation
- knowledge
- understanding
Feedback, including marks, will be given electronically to students.
The pass mark is 50% overall.
It is not necessary to pass each component of the module independently.
We will apply a compensatory grading approach that will enable students to carry a failed component, as long as their aggregated mark is at least 50%.
There is currently no information about the courses for which this module is core or optional.