Evidence-Based TCM Practice and Research Project

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General Information
Duration 1 semester
Level Year 4, Semester 2
Unit Weighting Unit Credit Points: 10 credit points
Total Course Credit Points: 320 credit points
Student Workload Number of timetabled hours per week: 4
Number of personal study hours per week: 6
Total workload hours per week: 10
Prerequisites PRI204 Research Methods
Academic Details
Description The pre-requisite for PRI417/PRI406 Evidence-based TCM Practice and Research Project is PRI204 Research Methods. In this unit students are taught to deepen and broaden their knowledge, understanding and familiarity with research methodologies and principles and their ethical application in practice.
This unit will extend the student’s knowledge and understanding of evidence-based research practice and provide clinical practice opportunities to apply their knowledge of research theory, practice-research, and research data analysis and evaluation skills to the investigation of specific TCM problems or issues. Emphasis will be placed on the ethical application of the principles of evidence-based research, which students will be required to demonstrate through the systematic literature reviews and critical evaluation of their own and others’ research findings.
This 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 (EBP) in TCM drawing on their clinic experiences and supervised work with patients.
Learning outcomes Upon completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse the research methodologies used to address varying research questions that arise in practice by drawing on key concepts from evidence-based TCM practice and research.
  2. Examine the outcome measurements and methods of statistical analysis in the selected research and clinical settings.
  3. Critically evaluate the practical application of evidence-based TCM research via examination of selected case studies and/or source material.
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of and adherence to the principles of health science research, Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines and processes required to conduct ethical clinical research.
  5. Write and present a research report on a chosen Chinese medicine clinical issue drawing on clinical research practice and data.
Assessment Weekly Quiz (10%)
Systematic Literature Review (30%)
Presentation (30%)
Research Plan (30%)
Prescribed Textbooks/Readings * The prescribed and recommended readings are subject to annual review.

Aveyard, H., & Sharp, P. (2013). A Beginner’s Guide to Evidence Based Practice in Health and Social Care Professions (2nd ed., pp. 1-48). McGraw-Hill Education.

Aveyard, H., & Sharp, P. (2013). A Beginner’s Guide to Evidence Based Practice in Health and Social Care Professions (2nd ed., pp. 139-160). McGraw-Hill Education.

Chan, AW., Tetzlaff, J.M., Gøtzsche, P.C., Altman, D.G., Mann, H., Berlin, J.A., Dickersin, K., Hróbjartsson, A., Schulz, K.F., Parulekar, W.R, Krleža-Jeric, K., Laupacis, A. & Moher, D. (2013). SPIRIT 2013 explanation and elaboration: guidance for protocols of clinical trials. BMJ (Online). 346 (jan08 15), 907-e7586. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e7586

Chandorkar, A.G., & Nagoba, B.S. (2010). Research methodology in medical sciences (1st ed., pp. 75-93). Mumbai India: Himalaya Pub. House.

Kim, Y-D., Heo, I., Shin, B-C., Crawford, C., Kang, H-W., & Lim, J-H. (2013). Acupuncture for posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials and prospective clinical trials. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, Article ID 615857, 12 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/615857

Korteweg, M. (2017). Historical Reflections on GCP. (25TH ANNIVERSARY) (ICH Guideline for Good Clinical Practice E6). Applied clinical trials, 26(6), 32.

Nagy, S., Mills, J., Waters, D., & Birks, M. (2010). Using Research in Healthcare Practice (1st ed., pp. 1-57). Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Nagy, S., Mills, J., Waters, D., & Birks, M. (2010). Using Research in Healthcare Practice (1st ed., pp. 146-168). Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Nagy, S., Mills, J., Waters, D., & Birks, M. (2010). Using Research in Healthcare Practice (1st ed., pp. 168-173). Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2021, April). Chronic pain (primary and secondary) in over 16s: assessment of all chronic pain and management of chronic primary pain. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng193

NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council). (2018). Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research 2018. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/attachments/grant%20documents/The-australian-code-for-the-responsible-conduct-of-research-2018.pdf

NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council). (2018). National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007)-Updated 2018. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/national-statement-ethical-conduct-human-research-2007-updated-2018

Purssell, E., & McCrae, N. (2020). How to perform a systematic literature review: A guide for healthcare researchers, practitioners and students (1st ed., pp. 31-50). Springer International Publishing.

Purssell, E., & McCrae, N. (2020). How to perform a systematic literature review: A guide for healthcare researchers, practitioners and students (1st ed., pp. 51-65). Springer International Publishing.

Riffenburgh, R.H. (2012). Statistics in medicine (3rd ed., pp 249-298). Elsevier/Academic Press.

Riffenburgh, R.H. (2012). Statistics in medicine (3rd ed., pp 365-392). Elsevier/Academic Press.
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