NEW CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER LAUNCHES WINTER SCHOOL

As part of its mandate to strengthen healthcare services of the Eastern Cape, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) established the centre for Clinical Research, Academic Development, Leadership, and Education.

The centre recently launched its first 2024 Winter Research School designed to enhance research skills and knowledge for Faculty researchers and postgraduate students.

“We have organised a series of activities that will help us strengthen research integrity, cultivate a research culture, improve research productivity and increase the number of Clinical Specialists in the Eastern Cape.” said the Interim Director of the centre, Professor Teke Apalata.

The centre currently houses four units that focus on specific aspects that, according to Apalata, will boost the number of NRF-rated researchers, increase the number of specialists, and bring a higher quality research output, amongst other advantages.

These include the training unit responsible for the research schools, the clinical trial unit that focuses on the testing of new drugs, the grants management unit that supports grant holders, and the research leadership unit.

Amongst the planned activities are the development of research through Artificial Intelligence (AI), meta-analysis, dealing with observational data in a social and bio-medical research, designing and analysing  clinical trials, and hands-on exercises in designing and analysing a two-group clinical trial study.

“We want to put in place activities that will boost the culture of research for academic staff and postgraduate students. Activities such as these will help improve the quality of research and research funding opportunities for the faculty,” said Apalata.

The unit plans to continue its efforts of strengthening research through a month-long summer research school.

By Ongezwa Sigodi