Introductory course on knowledge synthesis for knowledge user (offered by KT program, St. Michael's Hospital)

The introductory course on knowledge synthesis for knowledge users is an online course offered once a year through the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and the Knowledge Translation Program of St. Michael’s Hospital.

This course is co-taught by Dr. Sharon Straus (MD), and Dr. Andrea Tricco (PhD). The overall course objective is to teach about knowledge synthesis in general, as well as how to go about conducting a knowledge synthesis. It is recommended that students conduct a knowledge synthesis while taking this course, as the information provided will help guide the knowledge synthesis process. Topics include:

• How to formulate a review question
• How to develop a review protocol
• How to abstract data
• How to appraise the quality of studies
• How to perform a meta-analysis

Course Outline:

The course will cover 17 modules in total. Each module consists of a video presentation, 5 mandatory readings, optional readings, and a mandatory quiz. In addition, there are two assignments related to developing a knowledge synthesis question and protocol. The students will have three months to complete the course and the course instructors will provide high-level methodological support for the review.

Each module takes 3.5-5 hours to complete. The assignments take approximately 10 and 20 hours, respectively, depending on whether you are using an existing project or starting a new one.

Admission Requirements:

We require that you are conducting, or planning to conduct, a knowledge synthesis while taking this course. If you would like to apply, please click on the “Apply Now” button on the left side of this page. Once you have completed the application, someone from our team will contact you. Thank you!