SFKKB9081U Research Methods in Social and Clinical Pharmacy

Volume 2017/2018
Education

MSc Programme in Pharmacy or Pharmaceutical Sciences (Danish programmes cand.scient.pharm and cand.pharm) - elective

MSc Programme in Medicinal Chemistry - elective

MSc Programme in Pharmaceutical Sciences (English programme) - elective

Content

The course will:

  • give a general overview of research designs and relevant methods within social pharmacy and clinical pharmacy.
  • give hands on experience with relevant methods such as interviews, questionnaires, documentary analysis, clinical trials, registry studies and epidemiological studies.
  • enable the students to select and use qualitative and quantitative methods including triangulation.
  • teach the students to design and plan a research project, by transforming a given problem into a research question, critically choosing an appropriate method and systemizing and analyzing data with focus on data quality.
  • contain research ethical subjects such as scientific misconduct.
Learning Outcome

At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:

Knowledge:

  • identify, describe and summarize the main characteristics of the qualitative and quanitative research methods most commonly applied withn social and clinical pharmacy research
  • explain, reflect upon, and discuss the importance of theory-based research
  • be critical of scientific research literature within the field of social and clinical pharmacy
  • discuss the strengths and limitations of the main research methods

 

Skill:

  • transform a problem within the field of social and clinical pharmacy into a research question
  • decide when to use qualitative and quantitative methods or both
  • design a qualitative and a quantitative research study
  • conduct and critically assess literature reviews

 

Competence:

  • plan a research study within the field of social and clinical pharmacy
  • take responsibility for the implementation of a research project within the field of social and clinical pharmacy

The compulsory syllabus comprises a collection of review papers, textbook chapters and case studies. The most up-to-date recent peer review articles are included.

Knowledge of the phases of the research process, literature search, critical literature scrutiny and scientific communication. Basic knowledge of conducting questionnaires surveys and interviews. Familiarity with project assignments.
•Lectures: 14 hours
•Class teaching: 28 hours
•Submission of method assignment: 4 hours
•Exercises/assignment: 21 hours
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 28
  • Lectures
  • 14
  • Practical exercises
  • 81
  • Preparation
  • 83
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination
Written assignment
A course certificate is completed based on a continuous assessment. The student is responsible for writing a method assignment and perform an oral presentation for fellow students (PowerPoint presentation). Finally the student will act as opponent for another project. The method assignment is worked out individually and an overall evaluation of the written and oral work will be carried out at the exam.Prøvedesign / Examination design
Written assignment plus oral presentation.
The method assignment is worked out individually. The assignment contains questions and a method exercise – and consists of a written part (min. 8 pages, max. 10 pages; 1 ½ line spacing; 12 pt.) and a PowerPoint presentation (min. 8 slides). An overall evaluation of the written and oral work will be carried out at the exam.
Exam registration requirements

Students will be required to submit five written assignments. These assignments must be accepted in order to pass the course.
Satisfactory participation in the course refers to attendance, oral presentations as well as active participation in group work.

Aid
Written aids allowed

Including approved pocket calculator.

Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
Criteria for exam assesment

To pass the course the student must be able to:

Knowledge:

  • identify, describe and summarize the main characteristics of the qualitative and quanitative research methods most commonly applied within social and clinical pharmacy research
  • explain, reflect upon, and discuss the importance of theory-based research
  • be critical of scientific research literature within the field of social and clinical pharmacy
  • discuss the strengths and limitations of the main research methods
  • act as an opponent for another project plan 

 

Skills:

  • transform a problem within the field of social and clinical pharmacy into a research question
  • decide when to use qualitative and quantitative methods or both
  • design a qualitative and a quantitative research study
  • conduct and critically assess literature reviews
  • conduct an oral presentation of own project plan reflecting the written assignment in a logically constructed manner.

 

Competence:

  • plan a research study within the field of social and clinical pharmacy
  • take responsibility for the implementation of a research project within the field of social and clinical pharmacy
  • analyse data and critically discuss the strengths and limitations of the design/method/analysis choices with focus on validity and reliability.