Mastering Clinical Research
Level - 3 (Coming Soon)

Contact Us

Course Content

Day 1

1. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) (1.5 hours)

Objective: To provide participants with an in-depth understanding of designing and conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs), including trial phases and methodologies.

Topics Covered (40-min):

  1. Phases of clinical trials (I-IV): Objectives and designs for each phase.
  2. Designing and conducting RCTs: Randomization methods, blinding, and control groups.
  3. Ethical considerations in RCTs: Informed consent, participant safety, and data monitoring.
  4. Handling bias in RCTs: Minimizing selection bias, performance bias, and detection bias.

Q & A (20-min): Address and clear any issues about the topic.

Practical Exercise (30-min): Quiz and Discussions

2. Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (2 hours)

Objective: To teach participants a detailed overview of the steps for Meta-analysis and systematic reviews.

Topics Covered (1-hour):

  1. Steps of conducting a systematic review: Formulating the question, literature search, and inclusion/exclusion criteria.
  2. Introduction to PROSPERO
  3. Data extraction: Collecting data from studies for a systematic review.
  4. Meta-analysis: Pooling data, calculating effect sizes, and interpreting forest plots.
  5. Publication bias: Funnel plots and methods to address bias.

Q & A (20-min): Address and clear any issues about the topic.

Practical Exercise (40-min): Navigate through the Prospero website and introduction to Rayyan.

3. Critical Appraisal and Quality Assessment Tools (1.5-hours)

Objective: To teach participants how to critically appraise clinical research articles and use quality assessment tools to evaluate the validity of research findings.

Topics Covered (40-min):

  1. Introduction to biases: Selection bias, information bias, and confounding factors
  2. Introduction to critical appraisal: Importance of evaluating research articles.
  3. Tools for critical appraisal: Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, and GRADE.
  4. Appraising study methodology: Assessing study design, sample size, statistical methods, and conclusions.

Q & A (20-min): Address and clear any issues about the topic.

Practical Exercise (30-min): Participants will review a published research article and assess its quality using critical appraisal tools.

Day 2

1. Data Analysis: Multivariable and Regression Models (1.5-hour)

Objective: To equip participants with advanced data analysis skills, focusing on multivariable and regression models in clinical research.

Topics Covered (40-min):

  • Statistical Test Revision slides
  • Multivariable analysis: When and why it is used in clinical research.
  • Linear regression: Modeling continuous outcomes and interpreting coefficients.
  • Logistic regression: Analyzing binary outcomes and understanding odds ratios.
  • Survival analysis: Introduction to Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards model.
  • Model diagnostics: Evaluating model performance and assumptions.

Q & A (20-min): Address and clear any issues about the topic.

Practical Exercise (30-min): Participants will review the tables provided from published manuscripts: Discuss the tests used, why used, and what are the interpretations.

2. Research Funding and Grant Writing (1 hours)

Objective: To guide participants through the process of writing successful grant proposals and provide an overview of available internal and external funding opportunities.

Topics Covered (40-min):

  • Importance of funding for clinical research and Qatar’s vision for the knowledge-based economy
  • Internal funding programs: Overview of Routine and IRGC.
  • External funding programs: Overview of QRDI.
  • Multicenter Studies and Pharmaceutical Companies funding
  • Introduction to grant writing: Key components of a strong grant proposal (specific aims, significance, innovation, and methodology).
  • Budget and timeline development: Planning a realistic and justifiable budget and creating a project timeline.
  • Strategies for writing a compelling narrative: Demonstrating the importance and impact of the proposed research.

Q & A (20-min): Address and clear any issues about the topic.

3. Publication Strategies and the Peer Review Process (1 hour)

Objective: To teach participants effective strategies for publishing the research articles.

Topics Covered (40-min):

  • Choosing the right journal: Factors to consider, including journal scope, impact factor, and audience.
  • Improving manuscript quality: Strengthening arguments, presenting data clearly, and ensuring the manuscript aligns with journal requirements.
  • Peer review process: How manuscripts are evaluated, responding to reviewer comments, and making necessary revisions.
  • Common pitfalls in manuscript submission: Ethical issues, plagiarism, and duplicate submissions.

Q & A (20-min): Address and clear any issues about the topic.

Duration: 2 Days

Instructor: Dr Hina Akram  

Target Audience: Healthcare professionals with considerable research experience or those aiming to conduct complex research

Focus: Advanced research techniques, study execution, and analysis

Start Date: To be decided

Contact Us