Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis
Day 1: Tuesday 11th November 2025, 1pm - 4pm (GMT)
Day 2: Thursday 13th November 2025, 11am - 4.30pm (GMT)
Day 3: Tuesday 18th November 2025, 11am - 4.30pm (GMT)
Day 4: Thursday 20th November 2025, 1pm - 4.30pm (GMT)
Can't make these dates? Register your interest here and we will be in touch when we have new dates.
About the course
The aim of this popular online course is to provide participants with an understanding of the processes and methods for conducting systematic reviews and meta-analysis in health care. The course will include tips and techniques for managing the systematic review process efficiently.
Sessions will be delivered by staff from the Division of Population Health who are highly experienced in systematic review methods and health technology assessment. The course will be interactive and practical, with delivery of sessions based on lectures and individual and small group practical exercises.
Feedback from previous attendees
"Presenters were excellent."
"Useful content that covers all stages of a systematic review."
"It's an excellent course and provides a wealth of knowledge."
"The course provided a comprehensive overview of systematic reviews and meta-analysis, with practical exercises that enhanced my understanding. The instructors were knowledgeable and engaging, making complex topics accessible."
Learning objectives
By the end of this course participants should be able to:
identify the key stages of the systematic review process
define a review question and understand how to develop a review protocol
describe methods for identifying sources of evidence for systematic reviews
develop a search strategy to identify relevant studies for a specific review question and understand how to conduct a literature search
be aware of contemporary methods and technologies for reference and review management
apply inclusion criteria to identify relevant studies
undertake risk of bias assessment of primary evidence using appropriate, contemporary methods
develop a data extraction form and extract relevant outcomes from reported studies
select appropriate methods of evidence synthesis and be able to describe and summarise key results
be familiar with statistical methods for analysis of quantitative data
undertake a pairwise meta-analysis
understand potential sources of heterogeneity between included studies
apply efficient methods and technologies for reference and review management
be familiar with good practice in reporting of systematic reviews
undertake a risk of bias assessment of a systematic review using appropriate, contemporary methods
Course faculty
Dr Munira Essat, Senior Research Fellow (course lead)
Dr Marrissa Martyn-St James, Honorary Lecturer
Professor Andrew Booth, Professor in Evidence Synthesis
Sue Harnan, Senior Research Fellow
Abdullah Pandor, Senior Research Fellow
Mark Clowes, Research Fellow
Anthea Sutton, Research Fellow
Emily Pulsford, Research Assistant (Information Specialist)
Gamze Nalbant, Research Associate in Systematic Reviewing
All teaching staff work in the School of Medicine and Population Health at The University of Sheffield
- Dates and times
Day 1: Tuesday 11th November 2025, 1pm - 4pm (GMT)
Day 2: Thursday 13th November 2025, 11am - 4.30pm (GMT)
Day 3: Tuesday 18th November 2025, 11am - 4.30pm (GMT)
Day 4: Thursday 20th November 2025, 1pm - 4.30pm (GMT)
- Fees
The fee for this course is £750.
Current UOS Staff/Students
Current University of Sheffield staff and students are eligible to book at a reduced rate of £600. An active @sheffield.ac.uk email address is required to book at this reduced rate.
Please see Booking and payment section for further details.
All fees are VAT exempt.
- Booking and Payment
Payment can be made via credit / debit card or PayPal. Please visit the Online Store to make your booking.
Non-University of Sheffield applicants - If your employer is paying your fees and they require an invoice, please ensure you have your purchase order details before making your booking.
Current University of Sheffield staff and students – If you would prefer to be invoiced or to pay via an internal transfer, a purchase order will be required before you make your booking. Please contact your department administrator or finance team for help with this.
Difficulties making your booking?
If you are having difficulties making your booking, please contact the Online Store directly at onlinestore@sheffield.ac.uk
- Course delivery and requirements
This course will be delivered using the University's 'Blackboard' platform.
* NHS staff - important note: We are aware of issues caused by NHS firewalls. We recommend registering with an alternative/non-NHS email and using a non-NHS device when attending the course if possible. Thank you *
Requirements:
- Reliable and stable internet connection.
- A PC or laptop
- Webcam and microphone (preferably a USB headset)
- Preferably a quiet room where there will be no/minimal disruption.
- Ability to access Google applications (e.g. Google Docs, Google Sites, Google Sheets).
- Contact
For further information please do not hesitate to contact us:
Email at smph-shortcourses@sheffield.ac.uk
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it is up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research, funding changes, professional accreditation requirements, student or employer feedback, outcomes of reviews, and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.
Information last updated: