WCM-Q strengthens understanding of evidence-based healthcare
Faculty and participants of the health research workshop.
The Institute for Population Health (IPH) at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) recently trained more than 50 healthcare professionals in the fundamentals of health research.
Titled “Understanding Basics of Health Research,” the two-day workshop combined didactic sessions and interactive activities to equip participants with foundational skills and knowledge of core epidemiology and biostatistics concepts used in research.
The first day of the workshop explored key concepts, such as the terminology of healthcare research, metrics for measuring health, disease and mortality rates, biostatistical concepts, population sampling and probability, and the basics of study design. The second day included sessions on the basics of prophylactic and therapeutic trials, clinical trial design, testing for statistical significance, the value of screening in public health, evidence-based healthcare, and methods for understanding and interpreting research.
The sessions were designed and delivered by the IPH’s population health research experts, including Dr. Ravinder Mamtani, professor of population health sciences, professor of medicine (Center for Global Health), and vice dean for population health and lifestyle medicine; Dr. Sohaila Cheema, associate professor of clinical population health sciences and assistant dean for the IPH; Dr. Karima Chaabna, assistant professor of clinical population health sciences and manager of population health research at the IPH; and Dr. Amit Abraham, assistant professor of clinical population health sciences and assistant director of the IPH.
Dr. Mamtani said: “Evidence-based healthcare is essential for cost-effectiveness, quality assurance, patient safety, and the provision of optimal healthcare, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes. Healthcare practitioners must, therefore, possess a solid understanding of basic epidemiological and biostatistical concepts commonly found in published research articles.”
The workshop was attended by physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, allied health practitioners, researchers, educators, and administrators.
Dr. Cheema, the course director, said: “We are extremely pleased with the level of interest shown in this edition of the workshop. The fact that the course reached full capacity so quickly clearly indicates a growing demand among healthcare professionals for this topic. The high level of engagement and positive feedback from the participants has been rewarding. We look forward to hosting similar sessions in the future.”
The course is accredited in Qatar by the Department of Healthcare Professions-Accreditation Section (DHP-AS) of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and internationally by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).