Enhance your expertise in real-world evidence (RWE) for oncology with this highly rated, expert-led short course.

There is growing demand for real-world data to assess the safety and effectiveness of medicines. In oncology, RWE is increasingly used to complement clinical trials, providing critical insights into how treatments perform in routine practice across diverse populations. However, observational studies face potential biases, and translating real-world data into high-quality RWE requires careful study design, measurement, and statistical analysis.

This course will equip participants with the knowledge and scientific tools to generate robust, high-quality RWE that informs oncology treatment decisions while mitigating common sources of error. The content is delivered by leading LSHTM faculty and internationally recognised experts in pharmacoepidemiology and RWE research. Past attendees described the course as "excellent" and "high-yield," highlighting its relevance, engaging delivery, and immediate real-world application.

Course aims

By the end of this course, participants will:

• Understand the role of real-world data and its applications in oncology research
• Gain expertise in pharmacoepidemiological concepts and methods for RWE generation
• Evaluate the benefits and limitations of real-world data sources for assessing medicine safety and effectiveness
• Develop critical appraisal skills to assess RWE oncology studies, ensuring appropriate study design, data sources, and statistical methods
• Explore study designs used in RWE research and their ethical and regulatory considerations

Course schedule

This course is delivered online, using a combination of live interactive workshops and self-guided study to fit your schedule. From the start of the course, accepted participants will be given access to ~14 hours of expert-led, pre-recorded lectures. Participants will then engage in four live, interactive workshops designed to deepen their knowledge and expand their network. Participants must attend at least three of the four workshops and engage in the online materials to receive a Certificate of Completion.

Workshop Dates: (13:00 – 17:00 UK Time)

• Workshop 1 - Thursday 1 October 2026 | Study designs and data sources
• Workshop 2 - Thursday 15 October 2026 | Essential statistics and sources of error
• Workshop 3 - Thursday 29 October 2026 | Critical appraisal of evidence
• Workshop 4 - Thursday 12 November 2026 | Designing your own study

The number of hours of lectures covered by each workshop:

• Workshop 1 will cover ~5 hours of lectures
• Workshop 2 will cover ~3.5 hours of lectures
• Workshop 3 will cover ~2.5 hours of lectures
• Workshop 4 will cover ~3 hours of lectures