Students plan and execute an independent research project, audit or critical review of the literature in the area of (or related to) clinical pharmacology, in order to produce a written dissertation and poster in which they present and discuss the conclusions of the research.

The project will normally be carried out full-time, commencing after the written exam diet in April / May, completing by the end of August. There may be occasional short sessions during semester 2 to organise and prepare for the project.

Final dissertation (~ 6,000 - 8,000 words; 70%)

Preparation and presentation of poster (30%).

The aim of this course is to provide students with the experience of planning, executing, analysing, interpreting and discussing a short, defined research project, in the setting of clinical pharmacology or closely related areas; and to develop the intellectual, analytical, technical and critical skills necessary to successfully accomplish this aim.

By the end of this course students should be able to

·Critically assess and summarise the literature in the area of the research project, highlighting gaps in knowledge

- Synthesise appropriate research aims and hypotheses
·Plan and execute a research project, a systematic literature review, or an information / data audit,
·Perform a defined group of practical laboratory and/or clinical skills, or, in non-laboratory projects, the skills of information retrieval and handling,
·Appropriately analyse and interpret data,

-Organise and present a research report, which communicates data in a systematic and concise manner; critically assesses the strengths and limitations of the project; and discusses the contribution the findings make in the context of existing knowledge.

-Prepare and present a scientific poster, summarising their project.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.