Specialist Cert.Clinical Research (Immunisation & Infectious Diseases)

The Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research (Immunisation and Infectious Diseases) is a stand-alone award that provides full credit for completed studies into the Graduate Diploma and Masters of Clinical Research courses.

The purpose of this award is to provide individuals from medical and allied health professions (such as nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists etc) and others with a science-based background and qualifications the opportunity to complete specialist formal training in a specific Clinical Research discipline.

The Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research (Immunisation and Infectious Diseases) acknowledges that many researchers already have postgraduate training and from this have developed discipline-specific areas of interest. It addresses the need for a course that formally offers expert training in specialist areas that can be undertaken in isolation from more substantial awards.

The Specialist Certificate is distinguished from the Professional Certificate award by the provision of technically advanced professional development in specific areas that confer expertise and mastery of the subject area under study, as opposed to an introductory overview of an area of study. This is the normal requirement of any subject developed at Masters level.

Students who successfully complete this subject will be able to:

• Understand the basic principles of immunisation
• Understand the methods employed in the conduct of immunisation clinical trials
• Understand ethical issues specific to immunisation clinical trials
• Understand how endpoints of immunisation clinical trials are determined, including surrogate markers
• Define surrogate markers, and identify their limitations
• Understand the immunological, microbiological and laboratory assessment of immunisation clinical trials
• Understand principles of safety monitoring and post-licensure surveillance systems
• Understand vaccine study design
• Design a research proposal in immunisation

2 subjects, worth 12.5 points each

An undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in medicine, an allied health profession, science or social science which is recognised by the University as evidence of adequate preparation for the course plus documented evidence of at least two year's full-time relevant professional work experience or doctoral study in a medical, scientific or allied health environment.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Delivery dates:

Clinical Immunisation Research: March 26, 27, 29, 30
Infectious Diseases: May 14, 15, 17, 18