Introduction to Research in Health

Code:

MI117

Acronym:

IIS

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Medicine

Instance: 2019/2020 - 2S (of 10-02-2020 to 31-07-2020)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master in Medicine

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIMED	340	Mestrado Integrado em Medicina- Plano oficial 2013 (Reforma Curricular)	1	-	3	28	81

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

One of the founding principles of a Medical degree program is is the integration of components focused the basics of biomedical research and experimental design. That is why it is so important the inclusion, in the first year of the program, of a curricular unit presenting practical examples of the medical research developed in our institution, covering the foundations and formalisms of biomedical research and exploring the basics of a set of generic and transversal approaches, methods and tools used in the biomedical research, namely in clinical, laboratory or epidemiological research.

The biomedical research methodology, including both research involving humans and research of a more basic nature, defines and describes a set of distinct methods and procedures that warrant the quality of the discovery and application of scientific evidence. This curricular unit aims to provide students with the necessary theoretical and practical foundations, allowing them to define, to plan and to critically appraise biomedical research. In this context, the presentation and discussion of the concept of a research protocol is crucial, allowing them to understand the research enterprise as a phased and planned approach to answer a research question, and supporting the interpretation and dissemination of biomedical research.

This curricular unit will also promote the contact of students with real examples of biomedical, clinical and epidemiological research developed by research groups in the Faculty of Medicine and the University of Porto, through the organization of research seminars.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of this curricular unit students should be able to plan and to critically appraise biomedical research, supporting and creating the basic foundations for its adequate dissemination, appraisal, interpretation and application.

Working method

Presencial

Program

• Science and Medicine:
   - the clinical method 
   - the scientific method 
   - laboratorial, epidemiological, clinical and health services research;
   - translational research
• Biomedical research - A step-by-step guide for planning and executing a research project 
• Definition of research questions and bibliographic search
• Study design
   - experimental and observational studies
• Methods and tools for:
   - Data collection
   - Evaluation of the reproducibility and validity of measures and measurement scales;
   - Selection of participants;
• Random and systematic errors and concepts of reliability and validity in biomedical research;
• Research protocols;
   - a step-by-step approach for planning and executing a research project;
   - management and planning of research projects;
• Interpretation and dissemination of science.

Mandatory literature

Hulley SB, Cummings SR et al; Designing Clinical Research. Fourth edition., Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2013
Kumar R.; Research methodology: a step by step guide for beginners, SAGE Publications Ltd., 2014
Greenhalgh T; How to Read a Paper: The Basics of Evidence-based Medicine and Healthcare. Sixth Edition., John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2019

Teaching methods and learning activities

The curricular unit will have a total duration of 30 hours; 12 hours of theoretical classes and 18 hours of theoretical-practical classes and seminars.

After the presentation of each topic there will be time to solve practical exercises covering each phase of development of a research project. There will be also seminars organized along the semester where examples of biomedical research developed in our faculty and university will be presented. An e-learning platform will be used to support the course and to facilitate the communication between students and teaching staff.

The final grades will be based on the result of two components: a theoretical examination (70%) and the distributed evaluation (30%).

(1) The distributed evaluation represents 30% of the final grade and will include the assessment of the practical classes (representing 1/3 of the distributed evaluation grade) and the evaluation of the seminars (representing 2/3 of the distributed evaluation grade).

The seminars evaluation will encompass a written examination, which will be performed at the end of the semester together with the final theoretical examination. The seminars evaluation is an independent component of the final grade, which will be performed immediately after the theoretical examination and will have a maximum duration of 20 minutes. To be approved the student will have to obtain a minimum grade of 9.5 (in a scale 0-20) in the seminars evaluation.

(2) The theoretical examination represents 70% of the final grade and will include questions covering the material presented along the semester in the theoretical classes. The theoretical examination will take place at the end of the semester and will have a maximum duration of 75 minutes. To be approved the student will also have to obtain a minimum grade of 9.5 (in a scale 0-20) in the theoretical examination.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	70,00
Participação presencial	10,00
Trabalho escrito	20,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	51,00
Frequência das aulas	30,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

To be approved the student will have to obtain a minimum grade of 9.5 (in a scale 0-20) in the seminars evaluation, in the theoretical examination, and the final grade of the course (see below) should be higher than 9.5 (in a scale 0-20).

Calculation formula of final grade

The final grades will be based on the results of two components: a theoretical examination (70%) and the distributed evaluation (30%). 

(1) The distributed evaluation represents 30% of the final grade and will include the assessment of the practical classes (representing 1/3 of the distributed evaluation grade) and the evaluation of the seminars (representing 2/3 of the distributed evaluation grade). The seminars evaluation will encompass a written examination, which will be performed at the end of the semester together with the final theoretical examination. The seminars evaluation is an independent component of the final grade, which will be performed immediately after the theoretical examination and will have a maximum duration of 20 minutes. To be approved the student will have to obtain a minimum grade of 9.5 (in a scale 0-20) in the seminars evaluation.

(2) The theoretical examination represents 70% of the final grade and will include questions covering the material presented along the semester in the theoretical classes. The theoretical examination will take place at the end of the semester and will have a maximum duration of 75 minutes. To be approved the student will also have to obtain a minimum grade of 9.5 (in a scale 0-20) in the theoretical examination.

Examinations or Special Assignments

The seminars evaluation will encompass a written examination, which will be performed at the end of the semester together with the final theoretical examination. The seminars evaluation is an independent component of the final grade, which will be performed immediately after the theoretical examination and will have a maximum duration of 20 minutes. To be approved the student will have to obtain a minimum grade of 9.5 (in a scale 0-20) in the seminars evaluation.

Internship work/project

Not apllicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Special assessment periods will be allowed for typical cases, including employed students and members of the students' representatives association.