Modern Chinese Herbal Medicine & Practice

The unit will extend the student’s knowledge and understanding of evidence-based research practice and provide controlled clinical practice opportunities to apply their knowledge of research theory, practice-research, and research data analysis and evaluation skills to the investigation of a specific TCM problem or issue. Emphasis throughout this unit will be focused on the ethical application of the principles of evidence-based research practice through the critique of research questionnaires, undertaking literature reviews, the critical evaluation of their own and others’ research proposals and the development of a research project in Chinese medicine.

The unit aims to instil in students a deep respect for and commitment to evidence-based research practice in Chinese medicine and to enhance and deepen their developing knowledge and understanding of best practice in research undertakings. This will be achieved through lecturers and assessment tasks that focus on advanced research methodologies, statistical measurement and ethical research practice in a clinical setting. Students will be able to evaluate and synthesise data on research principles and the clinical application of evidence-based practice in TCM drawing on their clinic experiences and supervised work with patients.

1. Describe the key concepts in evidence-based TCM practice and research and evaluate types of research methodologies and approaches that assist in addressing a range of research questions that arise in practice.
2. Critically evaluate the application of evidence-based TCM research in practice based on selected case studies and examples.
3. Explain the principles of TCM research and describe the processes required to conduct ethical research.
4. Apply the knowledge learnt from the principles and standards of TCM research, skills for equipment operation and data processing to carry out research experiment, and evaluate and analyse research data on the activity of Chinese herbal medicine.
5. Present a research report on a chosen Chinese medicine clinical issue drawing on clinical research practice and data.

Assessment 2: Essay (40%)

Assessment 3: Research Report (20%)

Aveyard H and Sharp P (2009). A Beginner’s Guide to Evidence Based Practice in Health and Social Care Professions. McGraw-Hill Education, Maidenhead, England: Open University Press.

Nagy S, Mills J, Waters D and Birks M (2010). Using Research in Healthcare Practice. Broadway NSW, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Colton,T. (1995) Statistics in Medicine. Little, Brown and Company. Boston.

Reigelman ,R.K.,Hirsch ,R.P.(1996). Studying a Study and Testing a Test: How to read the Health Science Literature. Little, Brown and Company.

Berglund, C.A. (2000) Health Research. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Domholdt, E. (2000) Physical Therapy Research. Philadelphia:WB Saunders.

Neuman, L.W. (2000) Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Needham Heights, MA: Allwin & Bacon

Lewith, G.T.; Jonas, W.B. & Walach, H. (2011) Clinical Research in Complementary Therapies: Principles, Problems and Solutions (2nd ed.), Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

Glasziou, P. et al (2001) Systematic reviews in health care: A practical guide, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.