All courses | DCR Bern, Education

Module Overview

Summary

DCR offers consultations, education, and support to clinical researchers throughout the clinical research lifecycle through its units. We invite course participants to experience DCR activities at the:

Clinical Investigator Unit (CIU)
- Study conduct
Clinical Trial Methodology
Clinical Trial Unit (CTU Bern)
- clinical study management & regulatory affairs
- data management
- monitoring
- quality management
- statistics and methodology
Medical Data Sciences
Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)

By taking part to Clinical Trials in Action for Clinicians, participants experience an array of DCR activities from the inside and become familiar with the many steps involved in designing and running clinical trials.

Depending on the week, participants experience various facets of clinical trials. Clinical Trials in Action for Clinicians also offers ample opportunities for participants to reflect upon their experiences.

Course content is presented and delivered in English; other content presented and delivered (possibly) in English, French, and German.

Target audience

This course is designed for clinicians seeking experiential knowledge about clinical trials.

Relevance to Clinical Practice/Research

Experiencing clinical trials is essential for clinicians who want to strengthen their impact in both clinical practice and research. The course provides a unique opportunity to understand how high-quality clinical evidence is generated, from study design and statistics to monitoring, data and quality management, study conduct, and patient and public involvement. By interacting directly with professionals actively working in these areas, participants gain practical, real-world insight that cannot be learned from theory alone. Following this course equips clinicians with the skills to critically interpret trial results, actively contribute to clinical studies, ensure ethical and methodological rigor, and confidently translate research findings into everyday patient care—making it a valuable step for anyone involved in evidence-based medicine.

Course material

Module Summary

Please find in this module all the documents and supporting materials required to successfully complete your immersion week at the Department of Clinical Research (DCR) Bern.

If you have any questions, please contact education.dcr@unibe.ch

Learning outcomes

At the end of this experience, participants will be able to:

Analyze the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders involved in clinical research, and differentiate how their contributions impact trial conduct and outcomes.
Evaluate the functions of Departement of Clinical Research (DCR) within the Swiss clinical research landscape, and assess their contributions to study quality and efficiency.
Critically assess current clinical research priorities in Switzerland, with a focus on professionalization, and interpret their implications for clinical trial practice.
Apply principles of patient and public involvement (PPI) to design ethically and socially responsive clinical trial approaches.
5. Design and develop key elements of a clinical trial protocol (e.g., study design, endpoints, stakeholder integration) in collaboration with DCR support structures.

Learning objectives

Analyze the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders involved in clinical research, and differentiate how their contributions impact trial conduct and outcomes.
Evaluate the functions of the Department of Clinical Research (DCR)) within the Swiss clinical research landscape, and assess their contributions to study quality and efficiency.
Critically assess current clinical research priorities in Switzerland, with a focus on professionalization, and interpret their implications for clinical trial practice.
Apply principles of patient and public involvement (PPI) to design ethically and socially responsive clinical trial approaches.
5. Design and develop key elements of a clinical trial protocol (e.g., study design, endpoints, stakeholder integration) in collaboration with DCR support structures.