Randomised Trials and Their Role in Modern Healthcare
Dive into the world of randomised trials and discover how they shape modern healthcare decisions.
Duration
5 weeksWeekly study
1 hourLanguages
English, Italiano, Español, Français, PortuguêsEnglish, Italiano, Español100% online
How it worksDigital upgrade
Free
Randomised Trials and Their Role in Modern Healthcare
Understand the impact of randomised trials on modern healthcare
Randomised trials are the cornerstone of modern healthcare, shaping the treatments and therapies we rely on every day.
With the experts at the University of Galway, this online course is your gateway to understanding how these trials work, why they matter, and how they impact decisions in healthcare.
Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, healthcare professional, or simply curious, this course will empower you with the knowledge to navigate the world of clinical trials with confidence.
Explore the journey of medical treatments
First, dive into the fascinating process of how treatments evolve from laboratory research to safe, effective therapies.
You’ll learn about the four phases of clinical trials, regulatory approvals, and ongoing safety monitoring.
By understanding this journey, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the rigorous testing that ensures treatments are both safe and effective.
Master the principles of randomised trials
Next, you’ll look into the importance of randomisation in creating fair and unbiased comparisons in clinical trials.
You’ll explore different randomisation techniques, their benefits, and their limitations, all of which will help you understand how trials produce reliable results and why they are considered the gold standard for determining if treatments work and are safe.
Empower yourself with ethical insights
Finally, wrap up this course by grasping the ethical considerations that underpin clinical trials, as well as the importance of diversity in trials and why it matters for creating inclusive and effective treatments.
Armed with this understanding, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions about participating in trials or advocating for them.
Syllabus
Week 1
An introduction to randomised trials
Getting started
Welcome to this course on randomised trials.
What are randomised trials?
Learn about the fundamentals of randomised trials - what they are, how they work, and why they're so important in healthcare.
What can I expect If I decide to participate?
Here, you'll learn about the the journey of a trial participant, right from start to finish.
Week 1 summary
Summary of this week's learnings and an opportunity to check your understanding.
Week 2
The journey of a new treatment
From idea to testing: the first steps
Learn how new treatments are developed and tested before they reach patients. Explore the journey from early laboratory work to different stages of testing.
The approval process for new medications
Learn what happens after testing is complete - how researchers submit their findings to regulatory bodies that decide whether new treatments can be made available to patients.
Trials for non-drug treatments
Randomised trials aren't just for medication - they can also test medical procedures, lifestyle changes, therapies, educational programs, and public health campaigns to determine safety and effectiveness.
Week 2 summary
Summary of this week's learnings and an opportunity to check your understanding.
Week 3
Randomisation
Understanding randomisation
Explore randomisation in clinical trials - what it is, why it creates fair participant groups, and the different ways that researchers randomise participants.
The power and limits of randomisation
Learn how randomisation helps prevent bias in clinical trials, including selection bias, performance bias, and detection bias, as well as exploring the limitations of randomisation.
Week 3 summary
Summary of this week's learnings and an opportunity to check your understanding.
Week 4
The advantages and disadvantages of randomised trials
The impact of clinical trials on medical treatment
Explore how randomised trials have led to medical breakthroughs, revealed treatment harms, and helped to identify which treatments work best for different patient groups.
Limitations and improvements
Learn about the limitations of randomised trials and discover how researchers are working to improve trial methods.
Understanding trial results
Learn how to understand and interpret trial results. Explore the difference between statistical and clinical significance, and understand how researchers measure confidence in results.
Week 4 summary
Summary of this week's learnings and an opportunity to check your understanding.
Week 5
Participant rights and safety
Participant rights
Learn about the rights participants have while taking part in a clinical trial.
Informed consent and participation
Learn about informed consent - the process that ensures participants fully understand what joining a trial involves before making their decision.
Participant safety and fair treatment
Learn about participant safety monitoring, fair treatment in trials, participant rights, and the importance of diversity in clinical trials.
Week 5 summary
Summary of this week's learnings and an opportunity to check your understanding.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Describe randomised trials, their key features and why randomised clinical trials are important for making health decisions.
- Identify the key steps involved in a randomised clinical trial.
- Describe the role of randomisation within clinical trials.
- Discuss both the advantages and limitations of randomised trials in producing trustworthy information.
- Explain ethical considerations in the context of conducting randomised trials.
Who is the course for?
This course is perfect for anyone curious about how randomised trials shape healthcare decisions.
Designed for all backgrounds, this course bridges the gap between complex research and everyday understanding, helping you make informed decisions about healthcare and trial participation.
Who will you learn with?
Professor of Health Research Methodology at University of Galway. Directs HRB-Trials Network, Evidence Synthesis Ireland & Cochrane Ireland. Expert in clinical trials & evidence synthesis methodology.
Postdoctoral Researcher at the School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Galway.
Who developed the course?
University of Galway
Since 1845, University of Galway has shared the highest quality teaching and research with Ireland and the world. Ranked among the top 2% of universities globally and top 100 in Europe per QS World University Rankings, it has grown steadily in reputation and reach since its foundation. The University engages in cutting-edge research and innovative teaching across diverse disciplines through its renowned research institutes and colleges, cementing its reputation for academic excellence.
What's included?
University of Galway are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn
Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...
More courses you might like
Learners who joined this course have also enjoyed these courses.
Browse more in Healthcare & Medicine and Science, Engineering & Maths
