What's On at UWA

The aim of this course is to introduce you to basic statistics. It will cover descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations); data exploration; basic categorical data analysis; simple linear regression and basic analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Subsidised rates are available for UWA Graduate Research Students.

Please register online.

This course aims to provide you with an introduction to the facilities available in MS Excel from a statistical point of view. As well as an introduction to Excel, spreadsheet functions and graphics, it concentrates on performing basic statistical methods, producing charts and tables, and discusses the limitations of Excel when it comes to more complex statistical analysis.

Discount fees are available to UWA Postgraduate Research Students.

The metabolic theory of ecology (MTE) as applied to the plant sciences, aims to provide a general synthesis for the structure and functioning of plants from organelles to ecosystems. MTE builds from simple assumptions of individual metabolism to make predictions about phenomena across a wide range of scales, from individual plant structure and function to community dynamics and global nutrient cycles.

Our Epidemiology and Control of Communicable Diseases unit is designed to allow students to understand the principles of infectious disease emergence and transmission using current cases and examples.

The unit reviews the traditional tools of outbreak and epidemic investigation, combined with ideas on environmental change as a major driving force behind disease emergence.

Topics covered include:

- Australian and global perspectives on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases - links between environmental change and infectious diseases - infections from food and water sources - vector-borne illnesses, with a major emphasis on Australian examples - principles of infectious disease transmission - infection patterns in at-risk populations - infectious disease surveillance - the assessment and management of epidemics and outbreaks - bioterrorism - successes and failures in infectious disease control

Unit outline

The five-day unit will consist of a combination of lectures, practical case studies and discussions of recent regional and global outbreaks. In preparation for the teaching week, pre-reading will be sent out in mid June.

Who should attend?

Anyone with an interest in infectious diseases, microbiology and/or environmental health issues is welcome. This includes microbiologists, health department staff, doctors, nurses, students of public health, researchers, managers, ecologists and environmental scientists, and anyone working in areas relating to infectious disease prevention and control.

This unit is available for postgraduate students as a 6 point unit. It is also available for professional development. Fees apply, please visit our website for details.

Clinical Epidemiology focuses on the application of epidemiologic research principles to questions relating to clinical diagnosis, prognosis and the efficacy of therapeutic interventions.

Unit outline

This five-day unit considers:

- design, conduct and analysis of clinical trials

- non-experimental study designs in the evaluation of clinical outcomes

- systematic reviews and meta-analysis

- evaluation of diagnostic tests

- economic analysis

- ethical issues in clinical research

Within an evidence-based practice framework, emphasis will be placed on the critical appraisal of the scientific research evidence that underpins clinical practice (from primary studies to clinical practice guidelines).

Overall, the course aims to improve the participant's knowledge of clinical research methods and to develop a critical approach to the incorporation of research into clinical care decisions. In addition to formal lectures and 'hands-on' tutorials, the course will promote discussion and debate about clinical research and the sharing of clinical research experiences.

One of the outcomes of the unit will be an increased level of competence in preparing a competitive research grant proposal. As such participants will be required to work within a multidisciplinary research team to develop a (hypothetical) clinical research proposal, from the refinement of the research question, to study design, data collection, statistical analysis, ethical issues and budget.

This five-day unit will consist of a combination of lectures, small-group tutorials, practical demonstrations, discussion and ‘hands-on’ experience in research proposal development.

In preparation for the teaching week, you will be sent pre-reading on 18 November 2011.

Who should attend?

Health professionals and health researchers interested in gaining a better understanding of clinical research methods and critical appraisal of the scientific literature related to clinical practice.

This unit is available for postgraduate students as a 6 point unit. It is also available for professional development. Fees apply, please visit our website for details.