Critical Review of the Literature

CRES 722 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

This course will provide students with the necessary tools to critically analyze and comprehend articles published in medical journals. The article types will include but not limited to original articles, review features, editorials, and perspectives. For original research articles focus will be on critically appraising the study design, methodology, results, and conclusions to determine their validity and applicability to clinical practice and future research. The overarching goal of the course will be to master the skill of medical literature reading and interpretation to inform scientific inquiry and clinical care. Course components will include live sessions, interactive modules, readings, and online discussion forums.

Aligned with the master’s program’s focus on evidence-based medicine, the course helps students connect research methods to real clinical and policy questions and evaluate how study design and analytic choices shape the credibility and applicability of published evidence.

By the end of the course, learners will have skills to critically analyze and understand research articles from the medical field, allowing them to effectively evaluate the validity and applicability of findings to inform clinical decision-making, by teaching them how to assess study design, statistical methods, and potential biases within published medical literature.