Principles of Medical Research

Module title	Principles of Medical Research
Module code	CSC2014
Academic year	2019/0
Credits	30
Module staff	Professor Talitha Kerrigan (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	12	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	180

Module description

Scientific research is constantly evolving and generating vast quantities of data – how do we go about understanding how this information is generated and what it means? Why do we need to ask specific questions and how can we use the answers to improve healthcare?

We will study what history tells us about how scientific advances are made and how they have shaped public perceptions and ethical views.

We will explore different kinds of research strategy – deciding which research methods are best suited to answering which kind of questions. What are the advantages and limitations of each kind of study design and how should we analyse and interpret the data they provide?

You will get experience of designing and performing your own research study and importantly, how to communicate your results in a clear and critical way.

Module aims - intentions of the module

You will study what history tells us about how scientific advances are made and how they have shaped public perceptions and ethical views.

You will explore different kinds of research strategy – deciding which research methods are best suited to answering which kind of questions. What are the advantages and limitations of each kind of study design and how should you analyse and interpret the data they provide?

You will get experience of designing and performing your own research study and importantly, how to communicate your results in a clear and critical way.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Identify and describe how key historical events have informed scientific and ethical progress.
2. Identify key features of inductive and deductive arguments, empiricism and falsifiability
3. Identify the ethical implications of a research study and the laws applicable to them.
4. Discuss how research findings are translated into improved healthcare in accordance with current regulations.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Create a valid research question and design and perform a study to address it.
6. Write a report of a research study in the style of a peer-reviewed paper.
7. Critically appraise different types of medical research study (qualitative, observational, experimental).
8. Formulate appropriate strategies to answer different kinds of medical research question.
9. Use statistical methods to analyse and interpret basic research data.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

10. Work effectively as part of a research team.
12. Manage a complex workflow.
13. Demonstrate professional competence in communicating effectively with healthcare professionals and lay audiences.
14. Use feedback and experience to reflect upon your progress.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

The module will consist of seven, two-week case units. Each case unit will address a particular theme of medical research: epidemiology, drug development, genetic research, disease models, ethics, screens and diagnostics.

Each case unit will have the following structure:

Introductory lecture
Facilitated small-group session 1 - a research paper relevant to the case will be discussed and analysed
Guided case workshop – providing the opportunity to explore an aspect of medical research in more depth
Statistics workshop - will provide training in statistical analysis
Facilitated small-group session 2 – scientific writing skills and project design
Feedback session

There are five case units in term 1 and two in term 2

In addition to this core delivered material, you will design, perform, analyse and report a research study of your own. Support for this will be given in the ‘facilitated small-group session 2’, which will continue to run in term 2 after the case units have finished. The majority of term 2 is free for project work.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
56	244	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	19	(19 x 1 hour) Lectures/induction/feedback
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	10.5	(7 x 1.5 hour) Case workshops
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	16	(16 x 1 hour) Facilitated small groups
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	10.5	(7 x 1.5 hour) Statistics workshops
Guided Independent Study	124	Group research project design design/execution/analysis/write-up/presentation prep
Guided Independent Study	120	Lecture/workshop/small group preparation, consolidation, reading, revision

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Engagement in small group learning, peer report	Contribution to sessions	10 - 13	Written and verbal-peer and provider
Group research ethics proposal	500 words	1,3,5,10,11,13	Written and verbal- peer and provider
Group poster presentation	~10 min to present a poster describing their research project followed by5 min verbal questioning	5,6,10,12,13	Written and verbal peer and provider

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
50	50	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Professionalism Award	10	n/a	10-13	Written and verbal
Research project report	40	2500 words	2,4-7,9-13	Written
Written examination	50	2.5 hours	1-4,7-9	Written

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Professionalism Award (10%)	Professionalism remediation meeting	10-13	Ref/ def period
Research project report (40%)	Research project report (2500 words)	2,4-7,9-13	Ref/ def period
Written examination (50%)	Written examination (2.5 hours)	1-4,7-9	Ref/ def period

Re-assessment notes

There is no change in format of the research project report when you refer or defer your assessment relative to normal reports. You may be requested to base your report on data provided by the module convenor.

In the event of you failing the professionalism award assessment component and failing the module overall, you will be required to meet with their Academic Tutor as soon as possible to remediate this failure as a referred assessment. This will involve submitting any outstanding components required for this award, and, if necessary, undertake any actions required by the Academic Tutor to remediate for any unprofessional behaviour. In the event of you failing the professionalism award component but passing the module overall, you will be required to meet with your academic tutor for an individual meeting to remediate at the beginning of the following academic year.

Please also refer to the TQA section on Referral/Deferral: http://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/consequenceoffailure/

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Boyle and Ramsay (2017) Writing for Science Students; ISBN 978-1-137-57151-9

All other reading and resources will be indicated by, and accessible via, the module ELE page.

Key words search

science, research, statistics, philosophy, biomedicine, ethics, medical science

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	CSC1004: Fundamental skills for medical scientists
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	5
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	12/04/2016
Last revision date	21/08/2019