The following course is accepting applications for all 2007 dates:

Systematic Reviews
An Oxford University short course

In recent years, the bringing together of evidence from randomised
trials into systematic reviews has become increasingly common, not least
because of the formation of the Cochrane Collaboration
(http://www.cochrane.org/ <http://www.cochrane.org/> )  with its aim to
prepare, maintain and promote the accessibility of reviews in all areas
of health care.

Systematic reviews are also of increasing importance when considering
other study designs. In fact, they are becoming a vital part of not only
the process of summarising existing research but also of the process of
planning future research. Ethics committees, research founders and
health care policy makers such as the Department of Health
(http://www.doh.gov.uk/ <http://www.doh.gov.uk/> ) are now requiring
that systematic reviews be done in advance of new research.

This course will take the participants through the process of doing a
systematic review and will focus on the practicalities rather than the
theory. It will consider the practical aspects of:

*       question formulation
*       study identification
*       appraisal of quality
*       data extraction and collection
*       statistical synthesis
*       reporting

The course will take place on five separate full days. Each participant
will be encouraged to identify a topic for a systematic review that they
would like to discuss in detail during the course.

Course Content

The course will follow a problem based learning approach.

In the first session, each participant will be asked to identify the
question for the particular systematic review of health care
interventions that they would like to discuss during the course. They
will also be asked to highlight any particular challenges that they
anticipate with working on this review.

The issues to be tackled in most detail in the other nine sessions will
be determined through discussion within the group. There are no plans
for formal lectures but suitably experienced co-Teaching Staff will be
identified and invited to participate in sessions if the need arises.

The course will cover the following topics:

*       Formulating the question for your systematic review
*       Determining the eligibility criteria
*       Study identification
*       Data extraction
*       Assessing trial quality
*       Statistical analyses
*       Heterogeneity
*       Subgroup analyses
*       Reporting and updating of systematic reviews
*       Where to get help in the future

Who is it for?

This course focuses on the practice, more than the theory, of systematic
reviews. It tackles practical issues that are often encountered in such
research.

The course will be of most benefit to someone planning to do a review in
the near future; but should also be useful to anyone who may do a review
or wants to find out more about how to interpret reviews done by others.

Some knowledge about evidence-based healthcare and systematic reviews
would be helpful, but is by no means essential.

Dates

Systematic Reviews is offered 3 times in 2007:

19, 21, 23, 26, 28 February 2007
10, 11, 14, 15, 16 May 2007
11, 13, 14, 18, 20 June 2007

Further Information
For further details or to book a place visit our web site
www.conted.ox.ac.uk/cpd/SR07 or call on 01865 286947 or email to
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Agnes Gulbinowicz
Course Administrator
Continuing Professional Development Centre
Tel: (+44) 01865 286941
Fax: (+44) 01865 286934
Email: [log in to unmask]
www.conted.ox.ac.uk/cpd