Module PHAR4013: Research Project

Department: Pharmacy [Newcastle University]

PHAR4013: Research Project

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• PHAR4003 - Targeted Therapeutics - optimisation, critique and responsibility

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To develop a focused research output from an area of pharmacy.
• To develop practical research skills and demonstrate the potential of future study within a specific area of pharmacy

Content

• Students will be expected to apply their understanding of research methodology, statistics and ethics developed earlier in the programme electing to continue their studies in a particular research area of pharmacy (pharmaceutical chemistry, analysis, drug discovery, formulation and clinical pharmacy). Projects may include hospital, community and general practice-based exposure where students will gain experience of each particular environment. In addition, many projects will use regional contacts and will be facilitated through links to the NHS, community pharmacy and local industry. Where possible attempts will be made to submit student projects for publication. Whilst the primary purpose of this kind of project will be the collection of data to satisfy the requirements of the project, students will have to demonstrate communication and team-working skills in order to ensure that their work is successful.
• Alternatively laboratory based research investigations will be offered in the field of interest of the supervising academic. Students will participate in academic lead novel research projects within the Division of Pharmacy research laboratories using state of the art equipment and facilities.
• Aspects of theory, practical skill or ethical issues will be covered within each research group and students will be supported by a named academic supervisor working in your area.

Learning Outcomes

• SSK20 - originality in the application of knowledge around a research topic relating to pharmacy;

• SSS2 - the capacity to apply a range of laboratory techniques, analyse the data and present the outcomes in an appropriate form;
• SSS9 - the ability to generate, search for, analyse and evaluate experimental data and relevant primary literature;
• SSS15 - preparedness to act autonomously and efficiently in the planning and the ability to formulate and justify judgements in the absence of complete data and communicate their conclusions to patients, the public and professional colleagues;
• SSS16 - implementation of responsibilities at a professional level;
• SSS17 - a working understanding of research ethics and the means of gaining approval for research projects;
• SSS18 - the ability to conceptualise, design and carry out a Masters level research project related to pharmacy. This will entail a comprehensive understanding of specialist research techniques and the ability to relate these to advanced scholarship.

• KS1 - the ability to express one’s own ideas orally and in writing, to summarise the ideas of others and to distinguish between the two;
• KS2 - the ability to manage time to meet a set of pre-determined deadlines both as an individual and as part of a team;
• KS3 - the ability to understand and evaluate numerical data using basic statistical skills;
• KS4 - the ability to outline key concepts and apply them to a specific issue, problem or question;
• KS5 - the ability to apply basic theoretical frameworks at an intermediate level;
• KS6 - confidence in identifying, analysing, interpreting and solving problems creatively using appropriate knowledge and skills;
• KS7 - the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary and multicultural team and to address the relevance and importance of ideas with open-mindedness;
• KS8 - the ability to articulate and communicate ideas, principles, theories, problems and solutions verbally and in writing to specialist and non-specialist audiences;
• KS9 - the ability to distinguish and differentiate conceptual/theoretical models, and critically assess and evaluate their comparative strengths and weaknesses, detect false logic or reasoning, identify implicit values, defines terms adequately and generalise appropriately;
• KS10 - self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level;
• KS11 - confidence in dealing with complex issues, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences; and
• KS12 - initiative and adaptability in independent research and sustaining a project to deliver Masters level outcomes.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• There will be a small number of lectures to reinforce student understanding of the ethical issues associated with research. This is particularly important in the context of research projects which will take place within the NHS. Other issues around health and safety will be delivered in this way. These lectures will be designed to ensure that the whole student group has an understanding of fundamentally important concepts relating to the research project.
• Research seminars will take place during the term where students will be expected to discuss the research project within the group, receiving constructive comment from academic staff and student peers. The seminars will help students understand context of the research group and will give them insight into how research is conducted at postgraduate level. These sessions and working within a research team will aid the students understanding of the communities of practice that exist within research teams in general.
• Students will be expected to undertake a minimum of 30 hours per week (i.e. Full time) performing aspects of their project work if the project is within the practice environment it is likely that students will be required to be flexible with regards to clinics, ward rounds and all other relevant activities involved within the project.
• The final submission will take the form of a bound report which must be constructed along the lines of guidance given and should include an abstract of the work in the form of a typical conference submission. Student work within a breadth of disciplines covering quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and therefore will be given clear guidance as to the format of the report where appropriate to the specific area of study. The report will be a maximum of 10,000 words. The students must ensure that the submission is appropriately written and includes extensive discussion of the field, using appropriate references throughout.
• In addition to bound report students are required to produce an individual poster summarising their work, which will be presented as part of a research symposium. These posters will be open to peer review from other students working in the area and from academic staff throughout the division. Students will use the poster presentation to reflect upon their work and the process of completing it, this will include consideration of working within a laboratory or clinical environment and integrating as a member of such teams. Lastly an oral examination will be performed testing the students' knowledge of thier particular area of research in addition to their general knowledge of the course. They will be expected to have an in-depth discussion with the academics present.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Oral presentations within the research group. Students will be given opportunities to have their progress reviewed by the academic supervisor at various points during the year, prior to submission of the final report.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University