PgCert Leading Clinical Research Delivery

at University of Exeter

Healthcare is becoming increasingly complex, with clinical work and clinical research requiring unprecedented levels of cooperation between diverse providers and multiple sectors. We will provide you with a strong theoretical foundation covering topics such as research leadership, equality, diversity and inclusion as well as planning and piloting to ensure study feasibility and optimal delivery. Alongside this, you will consider the practicalities of doing clinical research and ways to improve participant recruitment. Our Research Practice Experience module enables you to put theory into practice by being directly involved with a clinical research project.

Developed in line with the NIHR-AoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework to support practising healthcare professionals aspiring to work in clinical research delivery.

Modules
The programme is divided into units of study called modules which are assigned a number of credits. The credit rating of a module is proportional to the total workload, with one credit being nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work. Each 15-credit module in this PgCert therefore requires 150 hours of study (around 12 hours of study per week, across the term). Typically, you will take two modules in term one and two modules in term two. Most of your study will be asynchronous; you will work through the online material at a time convenient for you. Modules will also have some contact days, where you will meet with your tutor and peers via Teams or Zoom (dates will be provided in advance to aid your planning).

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. 

Modules

• Integrity and Leadership in Research for Health and Healthcare
• Doing Clinical Research
• Research Practice Experience

Normally a minimum 2.2 Honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline. Relevant clinical or professional experience (more than two years post-qualification) may be taken into consideration as evidence of equivalency.

Applicants may be experienced healthcare professionals from a registered healthcare discipline, such as medicine, nursing, midwifery, allied health professions, pharmacists and healthcare scientists, or those who have worked in a relevant role for at least two years (e.g. clinical trials manager, clinical research practitioners, university postdoctoral researcher).

2022/23 entry

UK fees per year:
PgCert LCRD £3200pa 

Standalone module fees: UK: £900 per 15-credit module

International fees per year:
PgCert LCRD £7,700pa

The NHS needs to develop and retain a broad range of clinician researchers, individuals with responsibility for leading or contributing to research locally within their clinical setting, to lead and support high quality clinical research in areas where there is the greatest disease burden. The PGCert in Leading Clinical Research Delivery provides an alternative route into clinical research for experienced clinicians who are new to clinical research.

The programme will provide the necessary networks, skills and confidence needed for clinicians to lead and support clinical research.