• Offered for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Dr Alison Clapp
• Lecturer: Professor Christopher Eggett, Dr Joe Whitbourn, Mr Mohan Kyle, Mr Peter Luke

• Owning School: School of Medical Education
• Teaching Location: Off Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

The overall aim of this module is to ensure that the student has the knowledge, skills and experience of the role of research, development and innovation in the NHS in improving patient care, including prevention, diagnostics, treatment and service delivery. On completion of this module and the research project, students should be able to generate ideas; assess, plan, conduct, evaluate, interpret and report research and innovation projects, which includes original research; and disseminate the findings and, where appropriate, the adoption of the findings. Students should also be able to use research to improve practice.

Depending on the level of interest, this module may be run on more than one occasion throughout the University year. The module will be available as a 'stand alone' CPD module for students wishing to obtain the skills necessary to participate in clinical research in the NHS, particularly National Health Service professionals in training.

Outline Of Syllabus

Research Planning Process

•       Research project lifecycle
•       Application of research to clinical practice:
o       Evidence based practice.
o       Translation of research to clinical practice.
•       Research planning and proposal including how to incorporate peer review and expert advice.
•       Importance and impact of patient and public involvement throughout the research process.
•       Identifying a project as research, service improvement or audit.
•       Awareness of:
o       Standards for PPI involvement.
o       Patient participation vs patient involvement.
o       Delivery of clinical trials within the NHS.

Research in the NHS and wider healthcare community
o       How research is carried out in the NHS.
o       Collaborative research with partners inside and outside the NHS.
o       Horizon scanning.
o       Drivers for research.
o       Research funding.

Research Governance and Ethics
•       The importance and role of ethics in research, including generating ethical research questions.
•       Patient consent and safety.
•       Good Clinical Practice.
•       Data protection, confidentiality
•       Where approval is required and routes to approval.
•       Study sponsorship, including responsibility and roles.

Research Aims and Objectives
•       Literature review.
•       Critical appraisal.
•       Hypothesis generation.
•       Awareness of systematic review methodologies.

Research Methodology
•       Study design, including selecting appropriate methodology
•       Qualitative approaches including:
o       Grounded theory approach.
o       Thematic analysis.
o       Ethnography.

Research Data
•       Data access and sources.
•       Data management.
•       Data quality.
•       Information governance.
•       Qualitative and quantitative relationship.
•       Limitations of data.
•       Critical appraisal.
•       Sources of data.
•       The validation process.

Research Statistics
•       Basic statistical tests:
o       Sample size and power.
o       ROC.
o       Bland Altman.
o       T Tests.
o       Para/nonparametric.
•       Statistical and clinical significance.
•       Error and distribution of data.
•       Clinical specificity and sensitivity.
•       PPV/NPV and prevalence.
•       Incidence and outcomes.

Critical Analysis
•       Reporting guidelines and best practice.
•       Critical appraisal tools.

Scientific Research Communication
•       Scientific communication skills, including communicating appropriately for the audience including lay.
•       Channels for dissemination.
•       Publication etiquette.
•       Scientific writing:
o       Referencing.
o       Writing a peer review paper/article.
o       Identifying information to publish.

Innovation
•       Awareness of:
o       Innovation pathway.
o       Intellectual property.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module will be delivered in an e-learning format allowing flexibility for students to direct their own pace and pattern of learning. The e-learning environment will facilitate one-to-one and group advice on review, critical appraisal and writing skills in the context of each student’s discipline. Students will receive formative feedback from tutors and peers through online activities including discussion boards and quizzes. Students will learn fundamental principles of research governance by participating in an accredited on-line GCP training package.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

This module is delivered as e-learning. The curriculum is delivered via the University VLE through a series of guided learning opportunities including e-based lectures or tutorials. Work will be submitted to VLE for assessment. Students will be required to prepare and evaluate paperwork for real clinical research projects. They will produce relevant research documentation based on current ethical committee approval forms (Consent and PIS from).

A participation grade is included to encourage and reward the student's engagement with the
collaborative activities.

Should a student fail the participation assessment and have to undertake a re-sit they will have to complete a different form of assessment. The student will be asked to look at 2 participation activities as identified by the module leader/team and submit a 500 word written summary (approx. 250 words per activity).

Reading Lists

• MSC8002's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• MSC8002's Timetable