FRM5640 ¨C Pharmacoepidemiology Study Design and Manuscript Writing

Course content

This course will provide a continuously supervised research experience that teaches students the major steps to the preparation and presentation of a hypothesis-based pharmacoepidemiology research study. Students will choose a research question that can be evaluated, using epidemiologic methods, from a dataset that has already been assembled. Through a combination of workshops, written assignments, oral presentations, and peer critiques, students will learn the skills needed to develop the research question into a testable hypothesis, to test the hypothesis through secondary data analysis, and to write the results in the form of a publishable article for a scientific journal.

Learning outcome

After completing this course

• you will be able to conceptualize and conduct a descriptive drug-utilization pharmacoepidemiology study, including identifying gaps in the literature, formulating a research question, developing an analytic plan, analyzing data, and presenting and interpreting the results
• you will be able to structure and write a scientific manuscript in the IMRAD style
• you will be able to orally present scientific results to peers
• you will be able to effectively critique research from peers, and incorporate peer critique into your own work

Admission to the course

This is a small seminar course optimized for 8-12 students. Priority will be given to masters students working in pharmacoepidemiology in the School of Pharmacy at UiO.

There will be a total of 12 places available which are usually split as follows :

• 8 places are reserved for FRM5640
• 4 places are reserved for FRM9640

If there is space available then others may also apply to take the course as long as their academic background is adequate. For more information on the procedure contact the study administration.

Applicants are ranked by the following criteria:

1. Master students working in pharmacoepidemiology in the School of Pharmacy at UiO who have the course as part of the approved curriculum.
2. Master students at the School of Pharmacy who have the course as part of the approved curriculum.
3. Students with admission to single courses on master¡¯s level and exchange students.
4. Applicants are ranked by credits in each group; all applicants within 1st rank before applicants in 2nd etc. If admission is limited to a fixed number of participants, admission will be decided by drawing lots for students who are ranked equally.

The examination in this course is not available for external candidates. Only students admitted to the course may sit for the examination.

The course may be cancelled if the number of enrolled students are low.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

• FRM4040 ¨C Research Methodology for Projects in Social Pharmacy (discontinued)
• concurrent enrollment in FRM4110 ¨C Applied statistics for pharmacists (discontinued) or equivalent courses
• the compulsory HSE-courses HMS0501 ¨C Safety and Physical Environment, HMS0502 ¨C Positive Learning Environment, HMS0503 ¨C Laboratory Safety, HMS0506 ¨C Patient Clinic Safety and HMS0507 ¨C Fire Safety required for students at the 5-year Master`s Program in Pharmacy

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with FRM9640 ¨C Pharmacoepidemiology Study Design and Manuscript Writing.

Teaching

This course will begin with an intensive week-long session designed to orient students to the data and develop solid plans for analysis and presentation of results. After, 5 online lectures and one in-person mini-symposium will take place, and students will be responsible for regular meetings with critique partners.

Time in class will be spent on a combination of:

• lectures (20 hours)
• workshops (8 hours)
• student presentations (15-20 hours, depending on enrollment)
• peer critiques (10-12 hours, depending on enrollment)

Students should expect to spend between 4 and 8 hours per week outside of class to complete reading, writing, and data analysis assignments:

• homework assignments (written assignments, oral presentations)
• manuscript developed throughout the course (3000 - 4000 words, plus tables, figures, appendices, and required data analysis)

Students must complete all written assignments and peer critiques, and attend 80% of class meetings, including online sessions. All students will participate in FRM5640 using e-learning platforms. Students will be expected to present via videoconference and participate in class discussions.

Assignments are valid for one year.

Examination

• final examination; the completed manuscript developed throughout the course (3000 - 4000 words, plus tables, figures, appendices, and required data analysis), counts 50 % of final grade.
• completion of homework assignments, counts 20 % of final grade
• completion of peer critiques, counts 20 % of final grade
• participation class discussion, counts 10 % of final grade

For access to exam you must have:

• completed all written assignments and peer critiques
• attended 80% of class meetings

Withdrawal from an examination

It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.

It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:

• FRM9640 ¨C Pharmacoepidemiology Study Design and Manuscript Writing

Examination support material

Students may use any aids they require.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass the original examination.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.