Program Overview

Program Overview

The Research Methods: Introduction to Randomised Controlled Trials in Healthcare is a 3-day introductory course available in both face-to-face and online formats. The course has been delivered for over 25 years and provides an overview of the research process from idea and design to analysis and publication.

Course Description

Clinical trials have a huge societal impact, providing the best evidence of the effectiveness of healthcare, social care, and public health interventions. This course is 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.

Course Delivery

Course Faculty

The course is organised by Razia Meer-Baloch and Dr. Sara Brookes, and the programme is delivered by a wide range of clinical trials experts from across the University of Birmingham.

Dates of the Course

The course will take place from 18th to 20th May 2026.

Course Content

The course content includes:

• Day 1:
  • Introductions
  • Why Randomised Clinical Trials?
  • Introduction to PICO
  • Trial Outcomes
  • Basic Trial Design & Hypothesis Testing
  • Blinding and Bias
  • Q&A
• Day 2:
  • Day 1 Recap
  • Trial Recruitment
  • Analysis & Reporting
  • Critical Appraisal
• Day 3:
  • Day 2 Recap
  • Oversight Committees
  • Research Governance & Informed Consent
  • Designing a Trial

Optional sessions are available on CANVAS, including:

• From Idea to Trial
• History and Development of Research Governance
• The Regulatory Approval Process
• Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Other Trial Designs

Accreditation

The course has been approved by the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom for 24 category 1 (external) CPD credit(s).

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the fundamental principles of randomised controlled trials and propose methods to reduce bias in the design of trials
• Understand the fundamental concepts and features in the design and analysis and reporting of clinical trials
• Recognise the different types of research bias and discuss their effect on the validity of trials
• Formulate an appropriate research question
• Explain key statistical concepts such as probability and statistical inference and interpret measures of treatment effect, confidence intervals, and P-values
• Define the key considerations in the use and identification of trial outcomes
• Recognise the trial funding streams that can be applied for
• Understand the key safety terms and the process for safety reporting in clinical trials
• Define the role and importance of patient and public involvement in clinical trials
• Interpret and critically appraise examples of published work
• Contribute to the design and development of robust and efficient trials

Teaching Staff

The course faculty includes:

• Mrs. Razia Meer-Baloch, Lecturer in Clinical Trials
• Dr. Sara T. Brookes, Training and Education Lead for Clinical Trials

Entry Requirements

The course is designed for a broad clinical trial audience working in trusts, academia, or industry, ranging from those who have little experience in clinical trials to those who wish to expand their knowledge of the importance, design, and development of randomised controlled trials in healthcare.

Fees and Scholarships

The course fee is £350.