CAS in Clinical Research in Health Care Organisations

Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)

Clinical research is essential for advancing evidence-based healthcare, critical thinking and in fine improving patient outcomes. The CAS in Clinical Research equips clinicians, health professionals, researchers, and life sciences professionals with knowledge and practical skills to design, conduct, analyse, and appraise clinical studies. The course covers observational studies, randomised clinical trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and prognostic research. Elective modules include qualitative health research, participatory research in clinical care, sex and gender in health research. The programme provides in-depth training in biostatistics and R programming, plus science communication and research funding. Courses are fully interactive and taught by world-leading expert researchers. Participants gain the expertise to translate clinical questions into high-quality research and evidence informing healthcare decision-making. 

Summary
Degree Certificate of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research in Health Care Organizations, University of Bern (CAS CRHCO Unibe)
Start 02/2027
Length From February 2027 to December 2028
Scope 15 ECTS credits
Cycle Every two years, with the first edition running from 2027 to 2029.
Flexible entry possible No
Single module visitable Yes
Place Bern
Language English
Admission Requirements: A university degree or Bachelor high schools in health or any title judged as equivalent (Please see details below)
Registration until 30.11.2026
Cost Regular participant: CHF 10,000 (Please see details below)
Organising institutions Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)
Registration

About the program

Programme overview: The programme consists of 8 compulsory modules and 2 elective modules corresponding to 15 ECTS credits (approximately 450 hours). Each module lasts 3 days (1.5 ECTS).  The duration of the programme is 2 years, with modules taking place every 2-3 months. 

Target audience:  

  • Clinicians 
  • Healthcare professionals 
  • Pharmaceutical industry professionals working in the field of clinical development, clinical operations, medical affairs, drug safety, regulatory affairs, real-world evidence, health economics and outcome research, translational medicine and market access. 
  • Researchers in clinical epidemiology and public health 
  • Graduate students interested in clinical research and epidemiology 

Learning objectives: 

  • Formulate relevant clinical research questions and select appropriate study designs  
  • Plan, conduct, and evaluate clinical research projects across a range of study designs 
  • Interpret study findings and assess their implications for clinical practice and healthcare decision-making. 
  • Learn basic concepts in biostatistics, data analysis, and programming in R  
  • Conduct and evaluate systematic reviews and meta-analyses 
  • Understand the concepts and methods of prognostic and diagnostic studies 
  • Communicate research findings effectively to scientific and professional audiences.  
  • Identify funding opportunities and develop competitive research proposals. 

Fields of application 

  • Epidemiological and clinical research  
  • Public health  
  • Clinical trials  
  • Real world evidence 
  • Medical writing 
  • Evidence-based clinical practice  
  • Gender medicine 
  • Qualitative research 

Modules

Participants will need to attend 8 compulsory modules. They will also have the opportunity to attend elective modules according to their particular interests.

Compulsory modules are the following: 

  • General Principles of Clinical Research
  •  Cross-sectional Studies, Questionnaire Design, and REDCap Databases
  • Cohort Studies
  • Case-control and Diagnostic Test Studies
  • Randomized Controlled Trials
  • Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis
  • Prognostic Research
  • Funding Research and Science Communication

Participants can choose two of the following elective modules:

  • Introduction to Qualitative Health Research
  • Patient Partnership in Clinical Care, Research and Guidelines development
  • Sex and Gender in Health Research

Organising institution and faculty

Organising body: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine 

Lecturers: 

  • PD Fabien Naomi Belle 
  • PD Patricia Orializ Chocano Bedoya 
  • Prof. Orestis Efthimiou 
  • Prof. Annika Frahsa 
  • Prof. Angèle Gayet-Ageron 
  • Prof. Myrofora Goutaki 
  • Prof. Claudia Kühni 
  • Prof. Stephan Reichenbach 
  • Prof. Georgia Salanti 
  • Prof. Ben Spycher 
  • Prof. Sofia Carolina Zambrano Ramos 

Admission

Requirements:  

  • A university degree or Bachelor high schools in health or any title judged as equivalent (Voraussetzung für die Zulassung ist ein Hochschulabschluss.) 
  • Fluency in English (written and spoken) 

Desired skills:  

  • Relevant professional experience in healthcare industry or clinical/biomedical research 
  • Basic computer literacy 
  • Written support from the employer if participation during working time 

Any exceptions to the admission requirements should be approved by the programme director. 

Application and tuition fees

Whole CAS: 

  • Regular participant: CHF 10,000 
  • PhD student from UniBE who will use the ECTS for their PhD: CHF 5,000, otherwise CHF 10,000 

Individual Module: 

  • Regular participant: CHF 1,000 
  • PhD student from UniBE who will use the ECTS for their PhD: CHF 500, otherwise 1,000  

Note: the costs cover all registration fees and fees for performance assessments. If a performance assessment has to be repeated, an additional fee of CHF 200 shall be charged. 

 

Associate Courses