Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Course

Tuesday 30 September

Courses

Tue 30 Sep

08:30 - 15:30

online

+ 4

Activity code: 152028

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Overview

This one day course provides an introduction to the process of systematic review and meta-analysis. You will receive an overview of concepts and methodology, and guidance to support further learning. It is aimed at those early in their career with little or no research experience and there is no need to have previously performed a review. The course will be useful if you are planning or performing a systematic review, or to enable you to interpret published reviews.

Audience:
Primarily early years’ medical trainees (IMT2, IMT3 and ST4) but suitable for anyone who wants to gain a basic understanding of this area.

What does the course cover?

Introduction to systematic reviews
Developing a research question
Planning a literature search
What to do after the search, including assessing risk of bias and presenting findings
Introduction to meta-analysis
Clinical applications (GRADE)

Places are restricted, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Dr Akila Visvanathan, Dr Amanda Barugh, Professor Terry Quinn
Course Organisers

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Programme

Tuesday 30 September 2025

08:30	Registration and sign in
08:55	Welcome and Introductions

Session 1

09:00	Introduction to systematic reviews Dr Akila Visvanathan, Consultant in Medicine for the Elderly and Stroke, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh * what is a systematic review? rapid reviews/umbrella reviews etc the overall process: randomised controlled trials and observational studies * planning a protocol: PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses); PROSPERO (International prospective register of systematic reviews)
09:20	Developing a research question (Patients, Interventions, Controls, Outcomes) - PICO Professor Terry Quinn, David Cargill Chair in Geriatric Medicine, University of Glasgow using the PICO framework to create a research question tips to develop your own question
09:40	Systematic searches: turning your review question into a searchable query Dr Anna Noel-Storr, Head of Evidence Pipeline and Data Curation, Publishing and Technology Directorate, Cochrane Central Executive Team from PICO to searching where to look * what you need to know to approach a librarian
10:30	Break

Session 2

11:00	After the search Dr Akila Visvanathan, Consultant in Medicine for the Elderly and Stroke, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh PRISMA flow chart screening studies; tools e.g. Covidence, Distiller, data extraction
11:30	Risk of bias Dr Atul Anand, Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh sources of bias risk of bias tools for randomised controlled trials and observational studies *reporting risk of bias
12:15	Lunch break

Session 3

13:30	Piecing it together: presenting findings and writing up Dr Nishant Jaiswal, University of Glasgow *Reporting findings according to PRISMA guidelines
13:50	Introduction to meta analysis Dr Neshika Samarasekera, Consultant Neurologist and NRS Fellow, NHS Lothian when to use a meta-analysis (and when not to) what data are required * clinical and statistical heterogeneity * forest plots
14:10	Break

Session 4

14:40

From systematic reviews to guidelines recommendations

Clinical applications (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations - GRADE)
Professor Terry Quinn, David Cargill Chair in Geriatric Medicine, University of Glasgow
* assessing the certainty of the evidence *applying the GRADE framework to systematic review results

15:10

Q&A and discussion

15:30

Close

Please note that on occasion event programmes may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances

Fees

Not a Member of RCPE? By joining the College, you can save up to 100% on event fees for our symposia, courses and Evening Medical Update programme. Find out more about joining the College and our membership benefits via our membership webpages.

Booking for this event closes on Tuesday 23 September 2025 to allow pre-course reading material to be issued to registered delegates. Places may still be available after that date - please contact the event co-ordinator for further information

Places are restricted to 30, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Standard Fee	£190
RCPE Fellows, Collegiate Members & Associate Members	£150

Invoices: If you wish your employer/organisation to be invoiced for this event, please contact the event co-ordinator. Payment via invoice is not available while booking online.

Cancellation/Refund policy: If you have to cancel your place within 4 days of this event, we regret that we are unable to provide a refund.

Booking Terms & Conditions: Please read the College’s full event booking T&Cs regarding event changes, CPD, and data protection.

Further information

Event Delivery: Please note that this event will be run online using Zoom, please ensure that you are able to access Zoom and have a stable internet connection in the location you intend to participate from before booking for this event. Due to the nature of the course and the interactive elements, this course will not be fully recorded. Joining details will be issued to registered delegates 2 days prior to the event.

Certificates: All relevant events are approved for Continuing Professional Development (CPD). To receive a CPD certificate delegates must have completed the online feedback survey. The survey will close 28 days after the original broadcast of the event on the 28 October 2025, with certificates being issued shortly after this. Certificates cannot be issued after the survey has closed.

Catch-up: Registered delegates can view the presentations on catch-up for up to 6 months following the live event until 30 March 2026. Please note that in-line with Federation rules, the CPD period is for 28 days post live-event, therefore, in order to obtain a CPD certificate for viewing this event you must have viewed the talks and completed the online feedback survey by 28 October 2025 .

Event co-ordinator

Margaret Farquhar

Telephone

+ 44 (0)131 247 3636

m.farquhar@rcpe.ac.uk

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