Health research involves the systematic collection and analysis of data to improve our understanding of health and illness. There are several types of health research methods, including observational studies, experimental studies, and systematic reviews. It is important for researchers to be familiar with the wide range of research methodologies, their biases and strengths, and have ability to choose the most appropriate methodology to address the research question in a rigorous and unbiased way.
 
This specialized program has been designed for McMaster University Metabolic Bone disease fellows and will cover the following topics:

1. Developing a research question: An overview on how to develop a good research question in evidence-based clinical practice including how to conduct a literature review and formulating questions according to the PICO format  population, intervention, comparison, outcome)
2. Study design: An overview of the different types of study designs, including cross-sectional, case-control, cohort and randomized controlled trials.
3. Research ethics: An overview of ethical considerations involved in health research, such as obtaining informed consent, protecting confidentiality, and minimizing harm
4. Research dissemination: An overview of how to effectively disseminate research findings, including academic  publications, conference presentations, and dissemination to the public or stakeholders.
5. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses: A review of how to conduct systematic reviews and meta-analyses, including searching for relevant studies, critically appraising the quality of studies, and synthesizing the results.
6. Cost-effectiveness and economic evaluation: An overview of how to conduct cost-effectiveness and economic evaluations, including how to identify costs and outcomes, how to conduct sensitivity analysis and how to interpret results.