Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research (Neuroscience)

The Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research (Neuroscience) is aimed at people from medical and allied health professions (such as nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists etc) and others with a science-based background and qualifications seeking the opportunity to complete specialist formal training in a specific Clinical Research discipline.The two subjects required to complete the course are delivered by staff from the Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Neurosciences, a multi-disciplinary clinical research group focusing on producing innovative patient-centred research, training and education into stroke, epilepsy and other neurological disorders.

Course structure

To satisfy the requirements of the Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research (Neuroscience), students must complete 25 points.

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

• a degree in medicine, or an undergraduate degree in an allied health profession, science or social science; and
• at least one year of documented relevant work experience in medicine, an allied health profession, science or social science, or equivalent.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection

2. In ranking and/or assessing applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

• prior academic qualification and performance; and
• the professional experience.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university's English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research - Neuroscience welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and degree policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the degree.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Overview, Objectives and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Student Equity and Disability Support Team : http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Intended learning outcomes

Graduates of the Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research (Neuroscience) should:

• Have a high-level understanding of the major activities involved in planning clinical research methodologies applicable to problems in neurological disease;
• Have a sound knowledge of the overlap with basic science advances across the neuroscience field and a good understanding of clinical synergies;
• Have gained insights into the broad "hot topics" in neuroscience research and be able to generate useful discussions and ideas;
• Be able to analyse and critically appraise the clinical and basic neuroscience literature in a chosen topic of interest;
• Be able to apply this knowledge through creating new ideas for clinical research projects;
• Be able to work in teams and effectively communicate clinical research findings;
• Demonstrate a high level of understanding of various advanced clinical research techniques that have broad application to many areas of neuroscience;
• Understand clinical research applications of brain imaging techniques;
• Understand the need for multi-disciplinary integration in clinical research and be able to establish appropriate collaborations across disciplines;
• Have gained insights into current research applications of these techniques across the various neuroscience disciplines;
• Be able to develop innovative strategies to investigate clinical neuroscience research questions to pursue in response to particular neurological problems; and
• Have achieved a level of competency enabling them to create and conduct high quality clinical neuroscience research projects from the original concept through to submission of competitive research proposals.