Postgraduate taught 

Advanced Practice in Veterinary Nursing MSc/PgDip/PgCert: Online distance learning

Research and Evidence Based Veterinary Nursing VETMED4023

  • Academic Session: 2025-26
  • School: School of Biodiversity One Health Vet Med
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Taught Wholly by Distance Learning: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

This course will introduce students to the concepts of theoretical and practical clinical research using relevant examples from veterinary medicine and nursing. This will be framed in the context of Evidence Based Veterinary Medicine (EBVM). It will examine what clinical research is and why it is carried out; the basic elements of the research process; different types of research (quantitative, qualitative and mixed); the theory and interpretation of statistical analyses and the implications of clinical research for veterinary practice. Throughout, students will be shown how to: access research, find and evaluate evidence, carry out literature searches, and utilise evidence to develop clinically relevant research questions.

Timetable

There will be online lectures and tutorials with course staff across 10 weeks in Semester 1.

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Evaluation of the research process (40%, 1500 words). ILO 1 and 3

 

Evaluation of 3 papers in Knowledge Summary form, alongside a critical evaluation of chosen papers (60%, 2000 words). ILO 2, 3 and 4

Course Aims

The aims of this course are to:

■ Provide students with the opportunity to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of research processes within all aspects of veterinary medicine, surgery or nursing and other relevant subjects that are available to them and relate this to evidence-based veterinary medicine.

■ Equip students with skills on how to find, select, evaluate and utilise literature and research.

■ Enable students to critically evaluate examples of clinical research and apply these skills to clinical practice.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

 

1. Critically evaluate the clinical research process and associated methods.

2. Critically interrogate published research to synthesise and present clinically relevant findings.

3. Apply an evidence-based veterinary medicine framework to generate a novel research question and formulate a comprehensive answer.

4. Apply knowledge and understanding of clinical research to veterinary practice.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.