Welcome to Fundamentals of Clinical Research. This series of modules will provide you with an overview of various aspects of clinical research. The Fundamentals of Clinical Research has been a collaborative effort between the Office of Research and Graduate Studies (RGS), the Office of Professional & Educational Development (OPED), and the Clinical Research Directors Committee, Faculty of Medicine
Scientific Planning Committee
- Reza Tabrizchi, PhD
- Vernon Curran, PhD
- Nick Smith, MD FRCSC
- Chris Patey, CCFP, FCFP
- Yordan Karaivanov CCFP, FCFP
- David Bradbury-Squires CCFP (EM)
- Deepak Sangha, Resident (Family Medicine)
- Shane Arsenault, Resident (Specialty)
The modules have been developed by subject matter experts from the Faculty of Medicine, whose contact information is listed below, should you have questions about the course content.
| Module | Subject Matter Expert | Contact Info |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to a Research Project | Roger Chafe | roger.chafe@med.mun.ca |
| Research Ethics | Chris Kaposy | christopher.kaposy@med.mun.ca |
| Qualitative Research | Jennifer Shea | jennifer.shea@med.mun.ca |
| Quantitative Research | Nicholas Fairbridge | Nicholas.Fairbridge@med.mun.ca |
| Clinical Trials | Shabnam Ashgari | Shabnam.Asghari@med.mun.ca |
You may be completing this series of modules because it is required by your program, or you may be interested in one or more of the topics. Each module is asynchronous and accredited, so you can complete them at your own pace and in the order that you feel is most appropriate for your learning and research experience. While each module is focused on one aspect of clinical research, you may notice that some topics appear in more than one unit. This is because some themes are relevant to different modules.
In terms of layout, each module includes a pre and post-test, course content, and discussion questions. At the end of the module you will also be asked to complete a short evaluation questionnaire to help us better understand how effective the modules have been in providing you with information in the five broad areas.
We hope you enjoy the module series and that it is helpful to your experience as you begin to expand your horizons and scope of clinical research.
Introduction to a Research Project
Research can be a rewarding and exciting part of any clinical career. Being a successful researcher, however, requires a range of research, management, and organizational skills. This online module will help you get started in planning a research project. It will provide you with information about finding a project topic and developing a research proposal. It will also introduce you to some of the resources available within the Faculty of Medicine and the approvals you will need to conduct research at Memorial University.
Subject Matter Expert: Roger Chafe
Expiry Date: Dec 15, 2026
Research Ethics
Research, by its nature, attempts to develop an understanding of the unknown. This goal of exploring the unknown can sometimes mean that there are risks to participants in research studies. At the same time, participating in research can also benefit participants - either directly or because they are contributing to the overall expansion of knowledge.
This online module will examine the importance of ethics in medical research and discuss how to ensure your medical research project meets defined ethical standards.
Subject Matter Expert: Chris Kaposy
Expiry Date: Dec 15, 2026
Qualitative Research
Qualitative research is the study of social, relational, and experiential phenomena in their natural setting. It is exploratory research, intended to achieve a deep understanding of a situation from the perspective of participants. It is also inductive, or “ground up” research, in which insights emerge from the data.
Subject Matter Expert: Jennifer Shea
Expiry Date: Dec 15, 2026
Quantitative Research
This online module is designed to support participant skills enhancement in planning, undertaking and disseminating scholarly work in medical education focused on quantitative research.
Subject Matter Expert: Nicholas Fairbridge
Expiry Date: Dec 15, 2026
Clinical Trials
In this online course, you will learn about interventional studies, their benefits and challenges. This course will assist you in connecting theory to practice. Through experiential assignments and hands-on projects, you will have opportunities to apply interventional studies procedures.
Subject Matter Expert: Shabnam Ashgari
Expiry Date: Dec 15, 2026