This 3-day introductory course is available in both face to face and online formats, and has been delivered by the Birmingham Centre for Clinical Trials for over 25 years. The teaching will be delivered through a combination of pre-recorded lectures; independent reading and live online practical sessions.
Research Methods: Introduction to Randomised Controlled Trials in Healthcare in person version
This course can also be offered in person on different dates
More information
Clinical trials have huge societal impact, providing the best evidence of the effectiveness of healthcare, social care and public health interventions. Research through clinical trials is a growing global business in academic institutions, industry, the NHS and across public health organisations. To ensure efficient trials that reach successful completion, trial staff require a solid grounding and knowledge of the design, conduct, analysis and interpretation of clinical trials.
This three-day course in research methods: Introduction to Randomised Controlled Trials in Healthcare organised by the Birmingham Centre for Clinical Trials (BCCT) provides an overview of the research process from idea and design to analysis and publication. This programme will be designed to combine theory with opportunities to apply knowledge to practice, and will be delivered through a mixture of pre-recorded lectures and live online sessions.
Birmingham is well recognised for its research methods teaching with over 20 years’ experience of delivering short course CPD teaching in research methods, in addition to running a Master’s programme in Clinical Trials (MSc/PGDip/PGCert).
Course faculty:
The Birmingham Centre for Clinical Trials (BCCT) brings together the clinical trial expertise from across the University of Birmingham and, in particular The Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit (BCTU), and The Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU). BCCT is one of the leading centres in the UK for designing and implementing high quality trials across a wide range of diseases and clinical settings. This course is organised by Razia Meer-Baloch (Training and Education Lead, BCTU) and Dr Sara Brookes (Training and Education Lead, CRCTU) and the programme is delivered by a wide range of clinical trials experts from across BCCT.
Dates of the course:
19th - 21st May 2025
Course content:
Day 1
| 09.00 |
Introductions: LIVE online (Zoom) |
Razia Meer-Baloch & Sara Brookes |
| 09.30 |
Why do we need Randomised Clinical Trials? LIVE online (Zoom) |
Sara Brookes |
| 10.30 |
Introduction to PICO Pre-recorded lecture |
Natalie Rowland |
| 10.45 |
Break |
|
| 11.15 |
Trial Outocmes: Pre-recorded lecture/content |
Sara Brookes/Versha Cheed |
| 12.00 |
Precis and Pragmatic Trials: Pre-recorded lecture/content |
Rebecca Woolley |
| 12.15 |
Basic Trial Design and Hypothesis Testing: Pre-recorded lecture/content |
Samir Metha |
| 12.30 |
Data Types and Measures of Treatment Effect: Pre-recorded lecture/content |
Jon Bishop |
| 12.50 |
Randomisation and Allocation Concealment: Pre-recorded lecture/content |
Versha Cheed |
| 13.00 |
Lunch |
|
| 13.45 |
Blinding and Bias: Pre-recorded lecture/content |
Catherine Moakes |
| 14.15 |
Sample Size: Pre-recorded lecture/content |
Jon Bishop |
| 14.30 |
Sample Size: LIVE online (Zoom) |
Sara Brookes |
| 15.30 |
Break |
|
| 16.00 |
Q&A: LIVE online (Zoom) |
Sara Brookes |
| 17.00 |
Close |
|
Day 2
| 09.00 |
Re-cap of Day 1: LIVE online (Zoom) |
Razia Meer-Baloch & Sara Brookes |
| 09.30 |
Trial Recruitment: LIVE online (Zoom) |
Razia Meer-Baloch |
| 10.30 |
Break |
|
| 10.50 |
Analysis and Reporting - Pre-recorded lecture/content |
Jon Bishop |
| 12:30 |
Q&A: (Live online Zoom) |
Jon Bishop |
| 13.00 |
Lunch |
|
| 13.45 |
Other Design Considerations - Pre-recorded lecture/content |
Smitaa Patel |
| 14.15 |
Critical Appraisal (Reading) |
|
| 15.00 |
Break |
|
| 15.30 |
Critical Appraisal: LIVE online (Zoom) |
Natalie Rowland & Stats Team Facilitators |
| 17.00 |
Close |
|
Day 3
| 09.00 |
Re-cap of Day 2: LIVE online (Zoom) |
Razia Meer-Baloch & Sara Brookes |
| 09.30 |
Oversight Committees: LIVE online (Zoom) |
Kelly Handley |
| 10.30 |
Patient and Public Involvement: Pre-recorded lecture/content |
Magdalena Skrybant |
| 11.00 |
Break |
|
| 11.15 |
Peer Review |
Katie Morris |
| 11.45 |
Research Governance and Informed Consent |
Razia Meer-Baloch |
| 13.15 |
Lunch |
|
| 14.00 |
Designing a Trial: Live online (zoom) |
Sara Brookes & Lee Middleton |
| 16:00 |
Break |
|
| 16:30 |
Q&A: LIVE online (Zoom) |
Razia Meer-Baloch & Sara Brookes |
| 17.00 |
Close |
|
The following optional sessions are available on CANVAS. Please feel free to access these during the 3 day programme or up to 2 weeks after the end of the course, but there is absolutely no obligation to do so.
Optional sessions
| Session Title |
Length in minutes |
| From Idea to Trial |
30 |
| History and Development of Research Governance |
30 |
| The Regulatory Approval Process |
30 |
| Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
90 |
| Other Trial Designs |
60 |
Programme subject to change.
How to apply:
Registration using a credit/debit card at the university online shop. The courses have minimum required attendance levels and the University reserves the right to cancel or postpone the course if the minimum required number of delegates has not been achieved for the course.
For enquiries, please use our enquiry form.
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