Newcastle University

Aims

This module, ‘Developing your Career in Clinical Research’ (MCR8004), constitutes part of the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Research.

The module aims to familiarise students with a range of practical issues surrounding different forms of clinical research and with enhanced principles of research governance. It also aims to enhance the knowledge of the science behind research at an international level and allow students to reflect on their academic career. The module is designed to prepare students to plan and conduct original clinical research by providing them with specific knowledge and enabling them to develop understanding of the subject as well as a portfolio of skills to this end. The module will also provide students with knowledge of legal requirements for performing research outside the UK and provide enhanced knowledge building upon that obtained in the Postgraduate Certificate.

The module will be delivered in two day sessions. First the knowledge based on the following list (below). Assessment will be based on applications prepared by the students. These will be assessed with formative feedback in tutorial sessions.

Outline Of Syllabus

i. Current legislation and the law - the European perspective.
ii. Post marketing surveillance.
iii. The science of research - Understanding the 'OLOGIES'.
iv. The Academic Career journey - how did I get where I am today.
v. Managing intellectual property.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This will be a mainly didactic module. In lectures, students will learn fundamental principles of research governance and Good Clinical Practice as they apply to current clinical research. The final seminar has been planned as a debate on ethics. The tutorial is designed as a formative feedback session on the assessment of research applications.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Students will develop two pieces of written work of 1000 words each that focus on new knowledge acquired during the face to face learning. These will be related to current legislation, governance, local and national regulations and the need for good practice. The presentation will be a discussion of their own research idea in the context of good practice and all of the other issues that they will need to satisfy. This will be the development of novel research ideas based upon the new ‘ologies’ described in the course. These will be assessed in and formative feedback given in the tutorial. Written communication, planning and organisation and information literacy are all practiced and assessed in the essay and the oral presentation, whilst the oral presentation per se allows the practice and assessment of interpersonal communication in both a verbal and computer based format in addition to these other skills. Computer skills, adaptability are practiced throughout these assessments for example use of powerpoint and word etc..,