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2016/17 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

MEDR5130M Intervention Research

15 creditsClass Size: 60

Module manager: David Owens
Email: d.w.owens@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan), Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

Pre-requisite qualifications

As per student's parent programme

This module is not approved as an Elective

Objectives

This module is an introduction to the research of health care interventions, particularly concerned with clinical trials, systematic reviews of clinical trials and health economics. It will include topics on: formulating research questions, design and conduct of clinical trials, systematic reviews, allocation of subjects, and statistical power. Critical appraisal of published research will underpin theory.

Learning outcomes
Once a student has successfully completed the module and its assignments he or she should be able to:

- formulate an answerable research question about healthcare intervention
- contribute to the planning of a clinical trial taking account of ethical considerations
- define and describe the principles of clinical trial design (eg: parallel, cross-over and sequential designs)
- allocate subjects to interventions to take account of selection bias: randomization, concealment of allocation, complete follow-up
- take steps in study design that deal with confounding and effect modification
- take steps in study design to avoid measurement bias – masking
-understand importance and principles of calculating statistical power; type I and II errors
- analyse research data, understanding explanatory and intention-to-treat strategies using statistical packages (eg SPSS, STATA)
- describe a trial using a standardized format (CONSORT)
- understand the process of systematic reviewing of trials and the findings of meta-analysis
- appraise critically published clinical trials and systematic reviews and apply standardized measures of trial quality
- understand the importance of health economics and economic evaluation in health research

Skills outcomes
This module provides students with a critical awareness of research planning and methods and develops their research skills. . It will include topics on: formulating research questions; design and conduct of clinical trials; systematic reviews; allocation of subjects; statistical power; and critical appraisal of primary and secondary intervention studies.


Syllabus

The teaching style for this module will be active and participative. In seminars with group activities student will be introduced to: how questions about effectiveness of treatment and care can be answered in research; the ethics of giving and withholding interventions for research purposes; the principles underpinning design of randomized controlled trials; statistical power of trials; writing a proposal for an intervention study; analysis of trial data.

A problem-based learning method will be use to lead students to a knowledge and understanding of how to avoid false findings (chance, bias, confounding).

Students will work through specially written work-books in computer classes: analysis of research data.

There will be a lecture exploring the principles and practicalities of systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Problem Based Learning12.002.00
Problem Based Learning13.003.00
Lecture11.251.25
Lecture12.502.50
Practical11.251.25
Practical12.502.50
Seminar11.001.00
Seminar11.251.25
Seminar12.002.00
Seminar22.505.00
Independent online learning hours2.00
Private study hours127.50
Total Contact hours21.75
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)151.25

Private study

Independent online learning will follow on from the formal classes and will make use of a portfolio of materials. Students will also be expected to work in their own time, researching taught and online course work, building up their knowledge using the guidance provided by formal taught and online components of the module.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative assessment will involve monitoring students' progress through discussion both following lectures/seminars and during the group activities. In addition students have the opportunity to receive formative feedback on their understanding of the assessments by attending timetabled drop-in sessions.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
AssignmentIndividual completion of workbook begun in class activity30.00
ReportCritical appraisal of a published trial40.00
ReportCritical appraisal of a published systematic review30.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

The dates on which coursework is set and submitted varies each time the module is delivered. Clear guidance will be given to students at the start of the module.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 06/04/2016

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