PM3RMP-Medical Research and Enquiry

Module Provider: Pharmacy
Number of credits: 30 [15 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring / Summer module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Becky Green
Email: rebecca.green@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module provides 4 year integrated masters Physician Associate students with the opportunity to engage in a level 6 research project aligned with their own clinical interests. The module provides training in different research skills and methods relevant to those encountered by medical professionals, to enable students to develop skills needs to plan, design, conduct and present a piece of original research. Students will learn how to make use of spreadsheets to capture information and learn how to sample and collect qualitative and quantitative data using statistic approaches where appropriate. The module also provides students with the opportunity to carry out a brief piece of research and present their findings to their colleagues.

Aims:

This module aims to:

• Provide students with knowledge and skills on how to plan, design, conduct and present research


• Equip students with a critical and reflective approach to research practice

Assessable learning outcomes:

Students will be able to:

• Formulate, with support, an appropriate research plan for the purposes of conducting a research project to answer a specific research question


• Carry out a short piece of original research as a preliminary study towards their wider research proposal


• Make appropriate use of current literature and knowledge to support planning and presentation of their own research topic.


• Be able to appropriately analyse and present their research findings both in writing and orally.

Additional outcomes:

Students will develop communication, writing and reflection skills through consideration of the concepts within their own working environment or area of interest. Students will also learn about the research lifecycle.

Students will learn about how to obtain ethical approval for research where this is needed, for example for research involving patient data.

Outline content:

Research methods

Students will learn about research skills for qualitative and quantitative research that is relevant to medical professionals using a blended learning approach, providing on-line resources with classroom discussions to ensure engagement and to develop critical thinking.

Research project

Students will develop a research proposal based on an original research question that is on a topic that is in line with their own interests or that of their academic or clinical project supervisor. With support from their supervisor, students will identify a preliminary study linked to their full research proposal for them to carry out as a mini-project and will create a time-line plan for completing this piece of research.

Students, with support from a supervisor, will gain ethics approval for projects where this is needed

Students will carry out a short research project linked to the topic of their research idea. This is likely to act as a preliminary study or piece of scoping research towards a larger research project idea, but their short project does not have to be fully aligned to their previous proposal.

Students will present their finding as a short report and as a poster presentation

Global context:

Students may select to undertake research projects in clinical and health sciences that have wider international significance.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Students will develop a research idea and undertake a short original piece of research in an area relevant to medical science. A blended learning approach will be used to support their development of research skills. Their project supervisor will assist the students in identifying a research project and help them identify an appropriate research question. With the support and guidance of their project supervisor, students will lead the design and execution of the project.

Support will be provided throughout the project through regular one-to-one meetings with the project supervisor.  An opportunity to receive feedback on the written assignments before their submission will be offered.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	1	1
Seminars	6	1
Project Supervision	7	7	3
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)	23	18	10
Preparation for presentations		10	10
Carry-out research project	18	60	20
Dissertation writing	20	28	42
Reflection	5	5	5
Total hours by term	80	130	90
Total hours for module	300

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	15
Report	60
Oral assessment and presentation	25

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

 

Three assessed pieces of work:

1. Project proposal (800-1200 words): 15%

2. Project report (succinct report of 6000-8000 words): 60%

3. Project poster presentation: 25%

Formative assessment methods:

Formative feedback will be provided for all summative pieces of work either through verbal feedback (project proposal and poster) or written feedback (project report).

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

Students must achieve a mark of 40% to pass this module.

Reassessment arrangements:

Reassessment will be by written assignment.  Students requiring reassessment will have their module mark capped at 40%.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 30 March 2023